1. Aging White-tailed Deer Using Tooth Replacement and Wear

2. Tooth Replacement

3. Premolars Molars 1 2 3 12 3 A mature white-tailed deer has 6 cheek teeth: 3 premolars and 3 molars

4. 3-4 Month Age Class By 3-4 months of age, a fawn already has its 1 st 3 premolars, and the 1 st molar is either not erupting or just beginning to erupt from the jawline P1 P2 P3

5. 4-6 Month Age Class 1 st molar fully erupted; 2 nd molar not visible P1 P2 P3 M1

6. 7-9 Month Age Class 2 nd molar erupting or fully erupted; 3 rd molar not visible P1 P2 P3 M1 M2

7. 7-9 Month Age Class 2 nd molar erupting or fully erupted; 3 rd molar not visible P1 P2 P3 M1 M2

8. 1 ½ Age Class (Yearling) 3 rd molar erupting or recently fully erupted P1 P2 P3 M1 M2 M3

9. 1 ½ Age Class (Yearling) Between age 1 ½ and 2 ½, white-tailed deer replace their milk premolars with permanent premolars

10. The 3 rd premolar milk tooth has 3 cusps 1 2 3

11. The 3rd premolar permanent tooth has 2 cusps 1 2

12. 1 ½ Age Class (Yearling) Yearling white-tailed deer will either have the 3-cusped 3 rd premolar (A), or the 2-cusped 3 rd premolar will be newly erupting (B) A B P3

13. TOOTH WEAR

14. For age classes 2 ½ and older, the age class of a deer is determined by evaluating wear on the molars Important terms: –Enamel – Exposed white part of the tooth –Dentine – Exposed dark part of the tooth

15. Enamel Dentine

16. TOOTH WEAR For age classes 2 ½ and older, the age class of a deer is determined by evaluating wear on the molars Important terms: –Buccal crests – row of tooth crests nearest the cheek –Lingual crests – row of tooth crests nearest the tongue –Infindibulum – space between the buccal and lingual crests

17. Buccal – cheek side Lingual – tongue side

18. Buccal Crests

19. Lingual Crests

20. Lingual Crest Buccal Crests Infindibulum

21. TOOTH WEAR For age classes 2 ½ and older, the age class of a deer is determined by evaluating wear on the molars The degree of wear on a tooth can be evaluated by comparing the relative widths of dentine and enamel present on the molar tooth cusps, particularly on the lingual crests Bluntness of the tooth cusps is also a sign of tooth wear

22. “Strips” of enamel wider than strip of exposed dentine and sharp cusps = little or no wear Strip of exposed dentine wider than strips of enamel and blunter cusps = significant wear

23. TOOTH WEAR For age classes 2 ½, 3 ½, and 4 ½, the angle of the 3 rd cusp of the 3 rd molar can also significantly aid someone in determining the age class of the deer –In 2 ½ age class deer, the 3 rd cusp is slanted towards the lingual side of the jawbone –In 3 ½ age class deer, the 3 rd cusp is relatively flat –In 4 ½ age class deer, the 3 rd cusp is slanted towards the buccal side of the jawbone * The 3 rd cusp should only be analyzed after narrowing down the age class by using tooth wear

24. M1 M2 M3 2 ½ Age Class Permanent 3 rd premolar fully erupted; Cusps of 1 st molar relatively sharp or showing only light wear

25. 2 ½ Age Class Little wear showing on molars; little dentine showing on the cusps of 1 st molar M3 M2 M1

26. 2 ½ Age Class 3 rd cusp of 3 rd molar slanted towards the lingual side of the jawbone

27. M1 M2 M3 3 ½ Age Class Cusps of 1 st molar showing wear; 2 nd and 3 rd molar cusps still relatively sharp

28. 3 ½ Age Class 1 st molar showing significant wear; 2 nd and 3 rd molars showing only slight wear M3 M2 M1

29. 3 ½ Age Class 3 rd cusp of 3 rd molar relatively level

30. M1 M2 M3 4 ½ Age Class Cusps of 1 st and 2 nd molars showing wear; Cusps of 3 rd molar still relatively sharp

31. 4 ½ Age Class 1 st and 2 nd molars showing significant wear; 3 rd molar showing only slight wear M3 M2 M1

32. 4 ½ Age Class 3 rd cusp of 3 rd molar slanted towards the buccal side of the jawbone

33. 5 ½ Age Class Cusps of all molars showing wear and are without sharp cusps; M1 M2 M3

34. 5 ½ Age Class All 3 molars showing significant wear; infindibulum still distinctive M3 M2 M1

35. 6 ½ and older Age Classes All 3 molars flattened M3 M2 M1

36. 6 ½ Age Class Wear on 1 st molar is so significant that it appears “dished out” and infindibulum no longer distinctive on 1 or both cusps; 2 nd and 3 rd molars not “dished out” M3 M2M1 Infindibulum

37. 7 ½ Age Class 1 st and 2 nd molars appear “dished out”; infindibulum no longer distinctive on 1 st molar and on 1 or both cusps of 2 nd molar; 3 rd molar not “dished out” M3 M2 M1