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Name: Nicky S.
Status: educator
Age: 20s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: Saturday, November 16, 2002
Question:
I have had many people ask me, while I was showing off a beaver skull, why they have yellow-orange incisors? I know beavers are rodents, and their incisors are constantly growing, and I have noticed this in all rodents also. But why is there a discoloration of the incisors (only) and not the other molars? Thanks!


Replies:
The incisors are composed of two different materials, the outer, colored portion is harder, the whiter inner portion is softer. When the animals chew the softer material wears away faster than the colored, harder part so that the teeth are constantly sharpened as they wear and grow. I assume that the difference in color is simply due to the different composition.

J. Elliott

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