Serrated Spinosaurid Tooth - Kem Kem

[Omnomosaurus]

I've spoken to Troodon a little elsewhere on the forum regarding this serrated Spino tooth; my main question is regarding the root - can anyone verify whether the root looks to originally be from this tooth? It's obviously been reattached, but sand has been used to fill a gap between the crown & root, which makes me wonder a little.

 

For anyone wanting wider details around this little oddball:

 

• Length approx 48mm long (including the root)

• Very slightly recurved

• Mesial carina naturally terminates at the midline

• Denticles appear to be 2/mm on both carinae

• Veiny enamel texture

• Extremely minor fluting on one side

 

 

The Interesting Features:

 

Mesial Margin:

 

Distal Margin:

 

Enamel Texture:

 

Apologies for the godawful photos. (I definitely need to get a better microscope for this stuff!)

[Troodon]

Looks like a composite 

All fill 

[Omnomosaurus]

1 minute ago, Troodon said:

Looks like a composite 

Thanks, as always Troodon!

 

I might end up removing the root in that case, since the tooth itself is the interesting bit.

[Troodon]

Having said that  could be just a bad repair.  Can you take photos around that edge The tooth is cool.  Continue to noodle this the base photo should not be round should be tapering

[Omnomosaurus]

1 minute ago, Troodon said:

Having said that  could be just a bad repair.  Can you take photos around that edge The tooth is cool

 

Sure thing, I'll go grab a few photos now!

[siteseer]

Yeah, just from that first angle the root doesn't look like it matches the contour of the crown.  You might want to find a preparator to take it apart and make a definite determination.  if you feel comfortable with it, you can do it yourself.  It might just come apart with some water or you could try dabbing the connection with acetone and see if the glue starts coming off. 

[Omnomosaurus]

10 minutes ago, siteseer said:

Yeah, just from that first angle the root doesn't look like it matches the contour of the crown.  You might want to find a preparator to take it apart and make a definite determination.  if you feel comfortable with it, you can do it yourself.  It might just come apart with some water or you could try dabbing the connection with acetone and see if the glue starts coming off. 

 

Thanks! I may give that a try first (with water), and see how far I can go before bottling it. If it doesn't look to be budging, I might look for a preparator...though I wouldn't have the first clue where to look!

 

Here are closer photos of the join:

 

[DatFossilBoy]

Yeah I agree with the above... composite root. roots are always rare on spino teeth.

Nice crown though!

[Omnomosaurus]

12 minutes ago, DatFossilBoy said:

Yeah I agree with the above... composite root. roots are always rare on spino teeth.

Nice crown though!

Thanks DatFossilBoy! I bought it for the weirdness of the crown, so the root is no great loss on this one.

 

If I get a small pick/scraper, could that help to remove some of the matrix filler holding the root on?

[Troodon]

Composite be careful removing the root.

[Omnomosaurus]

10 minutes ago, Troodon said:

Composite be careful removing the root.

 

Will do! I'm not going to risk giving it a try just yet though (I need to pluck up some courage first haha).

[Troodon]

Depends what glue is used.   Solvent like acetone might loosen it, worth a try

[caldigger]

49 minutes ago, Omnomosaurus said:

I need to pluck up some courage first haha).

Might I suggest a single malt scotch?

[Omnomosaurus]

3 hours ago, caldigger said:

Might I suggest a single malt scotch?

 

An excellent suggestion! I've known a few folk that've had a few too many and ended a night with damaged teeth (they didn't collect fossils though)! 

[Haravex]

I don't believe it to be a composite, rather a roughly extracted tooth in which they have broken the root and had to crack fill that's my honest opinion.

[Omnomosaurus]

6 hours ago, Haravex said:

I don't believe it to be a composite, rather a roughly extracted tooth in which they have broken the root and had to crack fill that's my honest opinion.

 

Thanks, Haravex!

 

That's interesting; what makes you think it's a repair job, rather than a composite?

[Haravex]

on your second set of images the second photograph has an almost perfect join also the root texture is the same.

[Omnomosaurus]

1 minute ago, Haravex said:

on your second set of images the second photograph has an almost perfect join also the root texture is the same.

 

 Now you mention it, that join does line up very well. 

 

 

Luckily, I haven't attempted to remove the root yet.

 

I think I'll be leaving it attached, if there is in fact a chance it does belong in place.

[Troodon]

The last photo shows the white area is not a match its a hair larger, IMO.   Also the base of theropod roots are not round..they taper to allow the replacement tooth to grow.   

[Randyw]

I gotta go with troodon on this. The root looks hair larger and not right. I think there’s been some shaping and filling to try to make it fit.

[Omnomosaurus]

13 hours ago, Troodon said:

The last photo shows the white area is not a match its a hair larger, IMO.   Also the base of theropod roots are not round..they taper to allow the replacement tooth to grow.   

 

12 hours ago, Randyw said:

I gotta go with troodon on this. The root looks hair larger and not right. I think there’s been some shaping and filling to try to make it fit.

 

Thanks you guys! Guess it's safer to stick with this being a composite....at least the Moroccan that did this one paid a little more attention than usual for a slapdash glue job haha.