Tooth And Bone Pathologies

[Pristiformes]

broken/somewhat healed jaw in situ, which looked like a deer to me. you can see on the jaw to the left of the broken teeth where the bone granulated in. it is raised and of a granulomatous texture unlike the surrounding laminar-appearing bone. i've wondered if pain and difficulty in eating resulted in the animal's demise.

I wonder if there was any indication of a "lumpy" portion of the jaw bone visible? Deer can get something called actinomycosis, often referred to as "lumpy jaw" from malnutrition and gum injuries caused by eating too much bark and other woody forage. This can happen because of an environmental change such as a severe drought or severe flooding, or a population that is over the carrying capacity of the land. The lumpy jaw is manifested, in extreme cases, as severe osteomyelitis of the jaws.

Here's a link to a Bone Clones replica of a rather mild pathology of lumpy jaw:

http://www.boneclones.com/fo-401.htm

I believe it can also occur in other animals, as I have a feral pig skull that has osteomyelitis of one side of the lower jaw and three teeth and sockets are completely missing. The area looks as if it had considerable localized infection over time. The affected area is much thinner than the other side of the jaw and the area is devoid of teeth and sockets (where three teeth/sockets should be) , with a lumpy appearance just forward of the affected area.

[tracer]

hmm, that's interesting. no, i did not see any "lumpy" area on the jaw, other than the moderately raised area in which the bone is different. i'll have to revisit this issue, though. your explanation makes more sense than mine, and seems likelier...

[Pristiformes]

When I first found this fossil bone it was covered in algae. It seemed familiar and strange. But, when I cleaned it up, I realized I'd found two fused mosasaur caudal vertebrae. It's one of my favorites.

Fused vertebrae occur in large adult sharks; perhaps the same occurred with your mosasaur? I have most of the vertebral column from a dead stranded bull shark in Charlotte Harbor that measured 2.5 m total length. There are a few vertebral centra that were fused together. I think it helped to strengthen the skeleton given the considerable mass that the shark had attained. Since some vertebrae don't need to flex much or not at all, why not fuse them?

Of course, in an elasmobranch we're talking calcification of the cartilage, which occurs naturally in several areas of the skeleton of older mature sharks and rays, while the fusing of two mososaur verts is mediated by ossification, but it seems similar.

[Auspex]

broken/somewhat healed jaw in situ, which looked like a deer to me. you can see on the jaw to the left of the broken teeth where the bone granulated in. it is raised and of a granulomatous texture unlike the surrounding laminar-appearing bone. i've wondered if pain and difficulty in eating resulted in the animal's demise.

How about bone infection from an abcessed tooth?

"Ouch" in any case!

[Auspex]

This is a really "twisted" tooth.

Perhaps a bit hard to see, but the crown twists 90 degrees from root to tip, so the tip is pretty much perpendicular to the base of the crown.

A real auger bit! (From a "Spinner" Shark, maybe? )

[mommabetts]

This is a really "twisted" tooth.

Perhaps a bit hard to see, but the crown twists 90 degrees from root to tip, so the tip is pretty much perpendicular to the base of the crown.

Now that is one strange looking tooth.

[tracer]

yes, you've heard of the cookie-cutter shark?

that's the wine-bottle-uncorker shark...

[Phoenixflood]

Great pics all! I'm glad to see them!

I wonder how it got all twisted up like that Synechodus, either way really cool

[Synechodus]

yes, you've heard of the cookie-cutter shark?

that's the wine-bottle-uncorker shark...

[Synechodus]

Great pics all! I'm glad to see them!

I wonder how it got all twisted up like that Synechodus, either way really cool

I am by no means an expert on pathologies, but since the tooth shows no damage other that the twist, I am inclined to attribute this deformation to something blocking normal growth - e.g. remnants of an older tooth - forcing this one to grow around it.

Cheers,

Paul

[Harry Pristis]

That's an interesting corkscrew shark tooth, Paul.

Pathologies occur in mammals also. Here is a European cave bear (Ursus spelaeus) jaw with one sort of pathology. The first molar (m1) is lost, and the alveolus is filled in with bone. I believe that this suggests that the tooth was lost soon after it erupted, allowing the bone to heal completely.

There is no obvious evidence of a bone infection at the site, but notice how the premolar (p4) is oriented in the jaw. The long axis of that tooth is set at an angle to the tooth row. I think that this is further evidence of trauma to the jaw at a young age.

European cave bears had only four cheek teeth, having lost three of four lower premolars as they evolved. (The brown bear, Ursus arctos, has lost two and retained two lower premolars.)

Let's see some more pathologies!

[Phoenixflood]

I am by no means an expert on pathologies, but since the tooth shows no damage other that the twist, I am inclined to attribute this deformation to something blocking normal growth - e.g. remnants of an older tooth - forcing this one to grow around it.

Cheers,

Paul

Yeah, good thinking.

[Phoenixflood]

That's an interesting corkscrew shark tooth, Paul.

Pathologies occur in mammals also. Here is a European cave bear (Ursus spelaeus) jaw with one sort of pathology. The first molar (m1) is lost, and the alveolus is filled in with bone. I believe that this suggests that the tooth was lost soon after it erupted, allowing the bone to heal completely.

There is no obvious evidence of a bone infection at the site, but notice how the premolar (p4) is oriented in the jaw. The long axis of that tooth is set at an angle to the tooth row. I think that this is further evidence of trauma to the jaw at a young age.

European cave bears had only four cheek teeth, having lost three of four lower premolars as they evolved. (The brown bear, Ursus arctos, has lost two and retained two lower premolars.)

Let's see some more pathologies!

Very cool! Now, let me ask a question: Cave finds, are they fossilized or just preserved? I got a cave bear inscisor off of ebay a while ago and it did not appear to be mineralized.

[Guest N.AL.hunter]

That depends on the definition of Fossil, which is not set in stone (pun intended). To me, if the species is extinct it is a fossil regardless of it being altered or not. If it is not extinct, then I would not call it a fossil unless it were altered.

[Harry Pristis]

Very cool! Now, let me ask a question: Cave finds, are they fossilized or just preserved? I got a cave bear inscisor off of ebay a while ago and it did not appear to be mineralized.

In my limited experience, all these European cave fossils benefit from consolidation. These fossils are found in dry caves and never experienced the percolation of mineral-saturated groundwater that leads to permineralization. I have a number of bits and pieces of cave bears, and they are all simillarly preserved.

I don't think you're trying to draw a distinction between "fossilized" and "preserved" -- cave bears are fossilized just as surely as is Sue, the T-rex. A cave bear tooth may be preserved as unmodified bone while a bear tooth from a Florida river may be thoroughly mineralized. After all, the type of preservation of a fossil is just an accident of deposition.

Here's an incisor that I consolidated. I think I was using Glyptal, a GE product, at the time. The Glyptal has produced some yellowing, which is the reason it's not used in prep labs any longer.

[Pristiformes]

In my limited experience, all these European cave fossils benefit from consolidation. These fossils are found in dry caves and never experienced the percolation of mineral-saturated groundwater that leads to permineralization. I have a number of bits and pieces of cave bears, and they are all simillarly preserved.

I don't think you're trying to draw a distinction between "fossilized" and "preserved" -- cave bears are fossilized just as surely as is Sue, the T-rex. A cave bear tooth may be preserved as unmodified bone while a bear tooth from a Florida river may be thoroughly mineralized. After all, the type of preservation of a fossil is just an accident of deposition.

Here's an incisor that I consolidated. I think I was using Glyptal, a GE product, at the time. The Glyptal has produced some yellowing, which is the reason it's not used in prep labs any longer.

Included within my definition of fossils are tenured professors that should have retired long ago.

Harry, can one remove some or all of the glyptal by soaking it in acetone or some other chemical? Just curious.

[Harry Pristis]

Included within my definition of fossils are tenured professors that should have retired long ago.

Harry, can one remove some or all of the glyptal by soaking it in acetone or some other chemical? Just curious.

Yes, it would be removable with a little soak in acetone, I'm sure. It was diluted in acetone for application. Glyptal was easy to work with, a thick liquid electrical insulating coating, as I recall.

Over time, it turns out that Glyptal has a tendency to yellow. That's compounded by the yellowish color of some of the fossil cave bear material (like the incisor). It's still a functional treatment, if not perfect from a prep perspective.

[tracer]

tidbit

[Harry Pristis]

<snip>

Let's see some more pathologies!

Here is a jaw with unmistakable evidence of a pathology. This is a jaw of the giant tapir,Tapirus haysi from the Early Pleistocene. This individual had a giant problem in its jaw. The jaw is broken at a weak point caused by an infection. That infection is evidenced by the inflation and altered texture of the bone near the break. Note also that the first molar (m1) had been lost in life, and the alveolus was filling in with cancellous bone.

This tapir suffered.

[mommabetts]

Here is a jaw with unmistakable evidence of a pathology. This is a jaw of the giant tapir,Tapirus haysi from the Early Pleistocene. This individual had a giant problem in its jaw. The jaw is broken at a weak point caused by an infection. That infection is evidenced by the inflation and altered texture of the bone near the break. Note also that the first molar (m1) had been lost in life, and the alveolus was filling in with cancellous bone.

This tapir suffered.

It makes you stop and think what could have happened to it, to have caused that injury. How long did it live with it and how did it affect it's ability to eat? Thanks for posting.

[Sharktoothguy11222]

Here is a jaw with unmistakable evidence of a pathology. This is a jaw of the giant tapir,Tapirus haysi from the Early Pleistocene. This individual had a giant problem in its jaw. The jaw is broken at a weak point caused by an infection. That infection is evidenced by the inflation and altered texture of the bone near the break. Note also that the first molar (m1) had been lost in life, and the alveolus was filling in with cancellous bone.

This tapir suffered.

Interesting pathology Harry. :cool:

[tracer]

revisited the deer jaw issue which i originally (very lamely, i might add) thought was a broken and healed jaw and Pristiformes recognized as more likely being due to infection. upon looking at it more closely and comparing it to it's accompanying "normal" side, i'm guessing the bad side was pretty bad. from this i have developed a theory, but i really don't have a very good way of testing it. my theory is that even way back when, deer, like people are now, were really afraid of going to the dentist.

[Pristiformes]

revisited the deer jaw issue which i originally (very lamely, i might add) thought was a broken and healed jaw and Pristiformes recognized as more likely being due to infection. upon looking at it more closely and comparing it to it's accompanying "normal" side, i'm guessing the bad side was pretty bad. from this i have developed a theory, but i really don't have a very good way of testing it. my theory is that even way back when, deer, like people are now, were really afraid of going to the dentist.

Now I'm thinking its not from actinomycosis, or at least I don't see a lumpy portion to it, but yeah maybe some painful infection. Likely one of those bottled-water drinking deer who'd be better off drinking the city water with the added fluorides. Would have done the natural springs a favor too by not contributing to giant companies taking buttloads of free water from a spring/riverine system in the name of dead presidents. How did I turn this into a rant against spring water companies?

[Pristiformes]

Okay, I have no pathological fossils that I recognize in my "collection" (read: jumble of random rocks), so I'll have to improvise in some manner. I know what I'll do, I'll post some modern dead stuff with pathological stuff going on and pretend I'm contributing in some manner! Yup, that's the ticket.

Here's the first installment: A bull shark jaw (Carcharinus leucas) with a pathological lower tooth file. All six teeth in this file show the same malformity. The bull shark was a 99.5 inch total length female from Charlotte Harbor. Part of my modern material collection. This is the second bull shark jaw that I've owned with a malformed tooth file, the other one was a smaller animal and also came from southwest Florida.

[Pristiformes]

Here's some more pathology stuff from my collection:

An adult southern stingray (Dasyatis americana) 43.6 inch disk width female from southwest Florida with many teeth malformed in the lower jaw from a past trauma.

An adult feathertail stingray (Pastinachus sephen) jaw from the Philippines with a line of pathological teeth in the lower jaw.

The ruler is 6 inches long.