buffalo teeth

[Jdeutsch]

I came across these in central North Dakota while looking for Teredo wood

 

I assume they are modern buffalo teeth, but when I took a blowtorch to the root, it didn't have much of a burn smell.  some of the small bits of root eventually blackened.

 

This isn't so much an identification problem as a question- but confirmation of buffalo is fine, and if I am wrong, correction to the correct animal is welcome.

 

Question:  in the process of "fossilization", as collagen or whatever is replaced by minerals, how can you age a specimen, modern vs 'fossil' vs partially 'fossilized'

[Harry Pristis]

The images don't provide enough information to distinguish between cow and bison.  The best way to make the distinction is size.  Your larger tooth is an m3, and that is the best comparison.

 

 

[Jdeutsch]

crown = 41 mm 

 

assume modern? but how modern?  No N American bison specimens are all that old.   (https://www.pnas.org/content/114/13/3457 is an interesting read)