Tooth Nomenclature and Numbering Systems for Exotic Companion Mammals

Exotic companion mammals represent a branch of veterinary medicine with important implications in dentistry. The standard dental nomenclature and the systems of numbering teeth have not been applied in detail in these species and are not very familiar to many veterinarians. Selected species such as lagomorphs and rodents have anatomic and physiologic features that affect terminology and numbering. The dentition of marsupial species is also different than in placental mammals, complicating use of the modified Triadan system. This article describes, illustrates, and compares the 4 numbering systems that currently are used in dentistry for the most common exotic mammal species, and proposes a modification to the Triadan system for application to marsupials.