Dinosaurs Bit with Ever-Growing, Saw-like Teeth to Remain Top Predators

Some dinosaurs were voracious predators, ripping and tearing through their prey with their sharp teeth. Now, scientists have taken a closer look at the bite of dinosaurs in order to better understand the structure that allowed them to be such successful hunters.

In this latest study, the researchers looked at the deeply serrated tooth structure that can be found in the T. rex and other theropod dinosaurs.

"What is so fascinating to me is that all animal teeth are made from the same building blocks, but the way the blocks fit together to form the structure of the tooth greatly affects how that animals processes food," said Kirstin Brink, one of the researchers, in a news release. "The hidden complexity of the tooth structure in theropods suggests that they were more efficient at handling prey than previously thought, likely contributing to their success."

The researchers found that the deeply serrated and sawlike tooth structure is common to carnivorous theropods, and even one of the first theropods, called Coelophysis. Other extinct animals had teeth that were superficially similar, but it was the special arrangement of tissues inside the tooth that strengthened and improved the function of the teeth. The deep serrations, in particular, made the dinosaurs much more efficient at chomping on bones and ripping flesh of larger animals and reptiles. This, in particular, was what allowed them to prosper as top predators for about 165 million years.

The researchers also found that the arrangement of tooth tissues did not develop in response to these carnivores chewing hard materials. The dinosaurs grew new teeth throughout their lifetimes.

The findings reveal a bit more about these carnivorous dinosaurs and show how they were able to take down prey in the distant past.

The findings are published in the journal Scientific Reports.

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