Posted: May 22nd, 2023

Mammalian jaws and teeth evolved to create occlusal surfaces

Mammalian jaws and teeth evolved to create occlusal surfaces on the crowns of teeth adapted to varied diet. These cusps are important in aiding the better mastication of food, making mammals have the ability to feed on varied diet. For example , Trocodont mammals had teeth with cusps in a straight angle and other surrounding cusps on a central arrangement(10).This arrangement improves the ability to chew food which is still present in mammals to date but more complexed into an array of three cusps on the molars and pre molars. Evolution has therefore resulted in diversity and complexity in the phenotype of vertebrate teeth. The understanding of the evolution of teeth is important in providing insights in treatment and prevention of teeth malformations and diseases (11).