Overview of rabbit teeth, which are open-rooted and grow continuously (elodont) throughout life, worn down by a fibrous diet — a hallmark of lagomorph anatomy.
General educational reference only — not clinical or veterinary advice. Anatomy varies between individual animals; consult a licensed veterinarian for any health concern.
Open-rooted, ever-growing teeth
All of a rabbit's teeth are elodont, meaning they are open-rooted and grow continuously throughout the animal's life. This is unlike dogs and cats, whose adult teeth stop growing once erupted. Continuous growth is matched by continuous wear from chewing fibrous food.
Tooth arrangement
Rabbits have prominent incisors at the front and cheek teeth (premolars and molars) toward the back, separated by a gap with no canine teeth. Behind the large upper incisors sit a second small pair of incisors called peg teeth, a distinctive lagomorph feature. The incisors clip vegetation while the cheek teeth grind it.
Wear and the role of diet
Because the teeth grow constantly, normal alignment and steady grinding on coarse, fibrous food keep their length and shape in balance. The grinding action of the cheek teeth depends on a side-to-side jaw motion. This page describes normal dental anatomy as general reference only.
