Got some old teeth here.

[SweepNbeep]

Hi all,

I've been going through old finds lately, and came across these teeth that my kids and I have found over the years. I have a couple theories on what they are from, but would love to get your opinion on them as well.

This is the first tooth I ever found. I actually found it about 35 years ago while digging a hole in the back of the playground during recess. The most amazing thing is that I managed to hang on to it all these years and never lose it! Sometimes when we were kids, a few of us would dig holes while the normal kids played kickball. It came from central Minnesota. My best guess is that it is from a dog of some type, probably a wolf, as I would guess this one pre-dates modern dog breeds. What's your take?


Next is this very large tooth that I found in North Dakota, where I spend a lot of my time searching. I have researched this one, and my best guess is that it belongs to a bison, and possibly even one of the giant pre-historic types that is now extinct. What say you?


Here we have what appears to be a large predator tooth of some type, also found in ND. You're guess is as good as mine here, probably better.

I have also considered that this tooth may belong to a herbivore, and I have been looking at it upside down...maybe?


And finally there is this tooth you see here. I could be wrong, but I think it is from a horse. Not sure how old that could make it, not terribly I wouldn't think. It also bears an uncanny resemblence in color and condition to the other tooth right before it, and they were both found in approximately the same location. What do you think?


Thanks for looking.

 

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[old digger]

Your item in the 5th and 6th photos is a deer foot bone.

 

[Indian Steve]

Yes, It is a deer toe bone. That first tooth my be bear. Nice finds!

 

[SweepNbeep]

Nice ID on the deer bone, I never even considered that. Also, never thought of that being a bear tooth, but that’s highly likely. How old does a tooth have to be to look like that? It appears to be the oldest of the bunch by a wide margin.

 

[SweepNbeep]

Nice ID on the deer bone, I never even considered that. Also, never thought of that being a bear tooth, but that’s highly likely. How old does a tooth have to be to look like that? It appears to be the oldest of the bunch by a wide margin.

Must of been a pretty tiny deer, almost a newborn fawn I would guess?

 

[CaptEsteban]

Please take a pix of the top of the 2nd item, the large teeth. Are any of the items fossilized ?

 

[SweepNbeep]

Please take a pix of the top of the 2nd item, the large teeth. Are any of the items fossilized ?

So, I would consider the very first tooth, the one that may be from a bear, to be petrified or fossilized. The appearance of it is on par with some teeth I've seen in museums of prehistoric animals that are now extinct. It looks like wood, and feels kinda like it even.

The large tooth, for which I am adding photos per your request, feels like glass or porcelain, and it's very heavy. I don't know it that makes it fossilized or not. It seems pretty darn old to me.

The deer foot bone, and the last tooth in the bunch feel more like resin, they don't weigh much.

 

[CaptEsteban]

In simple terms , non fossilized teeth will not be heavy. Fossilized have turned into stone & are heavy. Looks to be a Fossilized Bison tooth.