The tongue, of course, plays an important role in moving food from the incisors back to the cheek teeth where it is ground.Īccording to Dr. This allows the cheek teeth to move laterally while chewing, without interference from the incisors. The cheek teeth are brought into alignment (occlusion) when the mandible (jaw) is slightly retracted and angled so that the jaw joint (temporomandibular joint) can reposition itself, allowing the cheek teeth to come together, while at the same time, separating the incisors. The cheek teeth, however, should be slightly out of alignment in the “at rest” position. When at rest, the tips of the lower incisors are normally positioned between the maxillary first incisors and the peg teeth. The four larger incisor teeth are used to grasp, tear, and slice, while the “cheek teeth” are used to grind and chomp. All rabbit teeth grow continuously throughout the rabbit’s lifetime. The cheek teeth are separated from the incisors by a fairly long space of cleft (diastema), which is extremely helpful when syringe feeding medicines to a rabbit. These premolars and molars are often referred to as “cheek teeth”, and there are more “cheek teeth” on the maxilla than on the mandible, and the mandible is narrower than the maxilla. Rabbits do not have canine teeth, but do have three pairs of premolars on the maxilla, two pairs of premolars on the mandible, and three pairs of molars on the maxilla and also on the mandible. There are six incisors: two pairs of incisors on the “top” or maxilla (the second pair, often referred to as “peg teeth” are much smaller and are positioned behind the longer front incisors), and a pair of lower incisors on the jaw, or mandible.

By Robin Rysavy, DMA in consultation with Brock Exline, DVMīefore one can understand how a rabbit uses his teeth, one must first understand some basics of the dental anatomy of a rabbit.Īn adult rabbit has 28 teeth.

Rabbit teeth diagram