I've got two bear skulls that were frozen for over two years.I used beetles to clean them,and now comes the problem.I have several teeth missing from each one after I whitened them.They are not in the pail I used to soak them in.Is it possible that from being frozen for so long they broke and just are'nt in one piece anymore as in not identifiable as teeth?And a one inch piece of the cheek bone on one has just fell to pieces like it was more grizzle than bone.They are not in the beetle tanks.Anyone ever had a problem like this before?I hate to send a skull back with missing parts but I know they don't just disappear.Thanks for any replies.RJ
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Frozen properly I wouldn't think that teeth would shatter . Not in the pail either , was it checked before the liquid was dumped ? I guess it was . HMMMM , Try back tracking all of the paths you took from one spot to the others while just carrying the skull . The teeth could have been lose and fell out while being carried without being noticed . If all esle fails maybe with some patience they could be sculpted back in . Hope you can find them and Good Luck to you , Bradlee
There is the possibility that the teeth were missing before you got the teeth. Bears are notorius for breaking off the first premolar by the thrid year, and also loss of a lower incior ocassionally happens. but in both cases the bone usually seals over and there is no hole for the teeth to even go in. My guess is that you lost them during preparation if there are sockets that are empty.
Concerning the broken jugal bone. You may have had an overzealous colony and the bone was actually consumed. If it was overly fat, it can happen.
RJ, Easy enough to lose a small tooth and you can do it in more than one way. The small teeth can come out and lodge inside of the skull- either in the brain cavity or down in the nasal passages. I am convinced that is what happened to one tooth that I lost in spite of utmost care. Now with skulls I bag loose teeth at whatever stage I find them. Enjoy, Aaron H.