Morphological and radiological mapping of dental cusps in relation to spatial constraints on tooth shape of one-humped camel (Camelus dromedarius)

Abstract

A significant number of researches in veterinary study have been focused on dental structure; however, there are few on the orientation and identification of their cusps. Therefore, the present article aimed to spotlight the arrangement pattern of dental cusps in the camel as a folivorous and graminivorous animal. This study was conducted on eight heads of adult, healthy camels of both sexes, collected from slaughter houses. To determine the exact orientation of cusps of molar teeth, additional radiological and CT scans were performed on the mandible as a landmark that should facilitate the reading of the cusps map. It was evident that the cusps are arranged in crescentic appearance, selenodontal form, with two cusps on each side, paracone and hypocone on the lingual surface and protocone and metacone on the vestibular aspect. Thus, camels cannot wear bite like equines, which would interfere with their constant chewing method. The camels’ dental cusps provide some of the finest examples of convergent evolution, which offer insights both into correlates between form and function, and into the ability of euthomorphic cusps in intrapability and stabilization of food items and their comminution between formidable cusps and occlusal spillway in between. Further studies should be done on the brachydont teeth and tropospheric cusps to fill the functional anatomy gap of teeth, in addition to diversity of cusps form. This study is considered a basic comparative anatomical study for normal healthy dentition and forensic practice, in addition to its importance in detection of more local aspects of dental problems in camels.