# Spacing in teeth...



## kandyluvr (May 23, 2009)

Okay, so today i was feeding my rats and i saw in Frankie's mouth and on her bottom teeth there was a gap between them, on the bottom they were very close to being together and near the top of the bottom teeth there was a big gap, is that supposed to be there?


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## kandyluvr (May 23, 2009)

like this: \\//


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

It could be her teeth are too long, from lack of chewing. Maybe give her a woodblock, or put some chew toys in her cage.
Could also just be the way her teeth look.
Usually labblocks cover the chewing aspect, but if you use mazuri it is a softer block then Tek, or Oxbow.


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## kandyluvr (May 23, 2009)

I was told that they do i bye themselves and that i didint need to worry about it...


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

kiko said:


> It could be her teeth are too long, from lack of chewing. Maybe give her a woodblock, or put some chew toys in her cage.
> Could also just be the way her teeth look.
> Usually labblocks cover the chewing aspect, but if you use mazuri it is a softer block then Tek, or Oxbow.


They do grind down their teeth by themselves, by bruxxing  The bottom teeth naturally splay to grip things when they grab onto them. The bottom mandible of the jaw is not fused like most skulls but they are joined just below the teeth by ligament making it a bit more flexible, and those bottom teeth will splay out at times. You know you have a problem when the top and bottom teeth seem unevenly worn across the top, then you will need to see a vet for trimming. The rat's teeth align top and bottom and grind down properly, its when they are growing offset that teeth will grow funny and need a trim.


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## kandyluvr (May 23, 2009)

So i only need to worry about it when the top and bottom is un even?
And that im okay?


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

kandyluvr said:


> So i only need to worry about it when the top and bottom is un even?
> And that im okay?


yep.


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## kandyluvr (May 23, 2009)

okay lol i couldnt really understand what you were saying


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Here...these are maloccluded teeth 



















and here from ratguide, shows you maloccluded and normal teeth

http://ratguide.com/health/figures/malocclusion_figure_1.php


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## kandyluvr (May 23, 2009)

Yeah...They look like the normal ones but at the top of Frankie's bottom teeth there is still a gap , the teeth are not touching at the top. :-\


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Mattie has nice normal teeth, but here you can see what they look like when they are normally splayed.


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## kandyluvr (May 23, 2009)

okay, good becuase thats what Frankie's look like, thanks


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## AMJ087 (Aug 27, 2008)

I believe the bottom of rats jaws are not like a lot of aninmals. I believe the bottom jaw can "serrparate" for lack of a better word so their bottom teeth will sometimes look like that are further spaced apart. Are her teeth always like that or just when you hold her a different way to look at them?


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