VIVO Pathophysiology
Dental Anatomy of Pigs
Swine are omnivores and there is probably no other animal that is quite as focused on food. Give a pig a treat (like the animal cracker in the mouth of the little pig to the right) and they'll do almost anything.
Piglets are born with "needle teeth" which are the deciduous third incisors and the canines. They project laterally from the gums and can injure the sow or other piglets so are often clipped off within hours of birth.
In boars, the canine teeth, or tusks, grow throughout the animal's life. The lower tusks are kept sharp by friction against the upper ones making them formidable weapons. Numerous tubercles make the occlusal surface of the molars irregular, ideal for crushing food.
| Dental Formulae | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deciduous | 3 1 3 3 1 3 |
= 14 | Permanent | 3 1 4 3 3 1 4 3 |
= 22 |
| Tooth Eruption | ||
|---|---|---|
| Deciduous | Permanent | |
| Incisors | Birth - 2 weeks | 8 - 18 months |
| Canines | Birth | 8 - 12 months |
| Premolars | 2 weeks - 8 month | 12 - 16 months |
| Molars | 4 - 22 months | |
| Maxillary Arcade |  |
| Maxillary Arcade: Lateral View |  |
| Mandibular Arcade |  |
| Mandibular Arcade: Lateral View |  |
Author: Melissa Rouge
Send comments to Richard.Bowen@colostate.edu