The bottom line is that sharks need more teeth than other fish and animals because they aren’t mended into bone. The cartilage does keep them inside the shark’s mouth, but they are fairly loose and fall out without much effort. In fact, it’s not uncommon for shark attack victims to find teeth embedded in their body.

Unlike human teeth, shark teeth are not very strong and tend to fall out easily. Many sharks have teeth in layered rows. Both their upper and lower jaws can have 2-3 or as many as 15 such rows. Their teeth do not have roots, so they break off easily and may last as little as a week.

Unlike humans, all sharks are born with teeth. They grow in conveyor-belt rows, with the biggest teeth facing outwards. Over time, the smaller teeth in the back move up, replacing the front ones. Most sharks have between 5-15 rows, and the whale shark has a whopping 3,000 teeth in its mouth!

There are four basic types of shark teeth: dense flattened, needle-like, pointed lower with triangular upper, and non-functional. The type of tooth that a shark has depends on its diet and feeding habits.

Some sharks can lose their teeth in as little as a week. That’s why it’s so easy to find them on beaches. Unlike humans, sharks can easily replace their lost teeth with new ones. They can be self-conscious when they talk with a missing tooth so they have to find a way to replace them as fast as possible.

Sharks do not rely on two sets of teeth – they have an endless supply of teeth, with a dentition that regenerates constantly throughout life. In some sharks, a new set of teeth develops every two weeks! Our lab studies the factors that control the production of teeth in sharks and other vertebrates, like mammals.

Some sharks can have up to 50,000 teeth during their lifetime. Unlike humans, sharks can easily replace their lost teeth with new ones. They can be self-conscious when they talk with a missing tooth so they have to find a way to replace them as fast as possible.

While humans just get baby teeth and adult teeth, sharks are constantly growing chompers throughout their entire life. A set of new teeth is always developing in the predators’ jaw, and they rotate forward like a conveyer belt.

Unlike our teeth, sharks’ teeth are embedded in the gums rather than the jaw. Researchers have long known that sharks have the ability to continuously regrow their teeth; they lose at least 30,000 teeth over a lifetime, but each one lost can be individually regrown over a period of days or months.

Can Teeth Regrow Naturally? Humans can only grow two sets of teeth, which are baby and adult teeth. However, they cannot regrow their teeth naturally.

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Adult Teeth Most adults have 32 teeth, which is 12 teeth more than children! Among these 32 teeth are 8 incisors, 4 canines, 8 premolars, and 12 molars, including 4 wisdom teeth.

It is possible to have extra, or “supernumerary,” teeth. This phenomenon is called hyperdontia and is often erroneously referred to as “a third set of teeth.” These teeth may erupt into the mouth or remain impacted in the bone.

Permanent teeth are also known as adult teeth or secondary teeth. The permanent teeth start to develop in the jaws at birth and continue after a child is born. By about 21 years, the average person has 32 permanent teeth, including 16 in the upper jaw and 16 in the lower jaw.

The four main types of teeth are:

• Incisors – Your incisors are eight teeth in the front center of your mouth (four on both bottom and top).
• Canines – Your canines are the next teeth that develop in your mouth.
• Premolars – Premolars are used for tearing and crushing food.
• Molars – Your molars are your largest teeth.

Molars are our biggest teeth, with multiple roots and large, flat chewing surfaces. We have eight baby molars and up to twelve adult molars, depending on whether or not we have and keep our wisdom teeth.

The pointy teeth beside your incisors are called canine (say: KAY-nine) teeth. There are four of them, two on top and two on bottom. Because these teeth are pointy and also sharp, they help tear food. Next to your canine teeth are your premolars (say: PREE-mo-lurs), which are also called bicuspid teeth.