Is This Mosasaur Tooth With Root Is Its Original And Not Composite Root?

[lone5wolf117]

Is this mosasaur tooth with root is its original and not composite root?

[-Andy-]

It is a composite, you can tell from the different coloration of the root. If you want a mosasaur tooth with root, try to get them loose of matrix.

Here's 2 examples of natural roots.

One good sign of a true root is the presence of a groove where another tooth would've erupted from.

[LordTrilobite]

Yes definitely a composite. And I don't think the root is real either. Looks like a random piece of bone that's been shaped to look like a root. It lacks the details you'd find on a real root. The presence of an indentation for the replacement tooth on a root is generally a good indication that a root is real.

Here are two more pictures of teeth with real roots attached.

Notice how there is a lot of detail. you generally don't see that on composites.

Edited August 12, 2015 by LordTrilobite

[Raptor Lover]

Yeah it does look pretty strange for a root

[jpc]

We CT scanned one of these and it showed indisutably that it was a composite.