The relationship of maxillary cheek tooth development to age determined by post-mortem radiographic examination of cattle aged between 12 and 24 months

Abstract

SUMMARYThe development of the maxillary teeth in cattle was studied by recording eruption into the oral cavity and by radiographic examination following bisection of the skull. Observations of second molar intra-oral eruption showed that varying stages were seen at different ages. Radiography of the teeth allowed determination of the degree of crown and tooth development in the permanent premolar and molar teeth as well as stages of temporary premolar tooth resorption. Radiographic inspection showed that in the same animal all the permanent maxillary cheek teeth except the first premolar were less well developed than their mandibular counterparts. It was suggested that the intra-oral eruption of the second maxillary molar and radiography of the maxillary teeth provided a better method of age estimation in cattle than the traditional one of examining the intra-oral eruption of the incisor and canine teeth.