Dental eruption and exfoliation chronology in the ferret (Mustela putorius furo)

Substituting ferrets for rats and dogs as animal models for craniofacial research is favourable because of the similarity of many of the ferret's anatomical, metabolic and physiological features to those of man. Other advantages are cost-effectiveness and possibly less ethical controversy. However, information on the dental chronology of ferrets needs to be supplemented if this animal is to be promoted as an alternative model. Dental development was here examined in 16 ferrets (eight males, eight females) from three litters at between 12 and 90 days of age. Dental eruption and exfoliation were assessed and recorded every second day. The sequence of eruption of deciduous and permanent teeth was determined and data were analysed statistically. Also, any sex-related differences in eruption and exfoliation ages were defined. No deciduous incisors were observed to erupt in this group of animals. Other deciduous teeth erupted between the 19th and 31st postnatal days, and exfoliated between days 51 and 76. The time of eruption of the permanent teeth ranged from 42 to 77 days, in accordance with the stage of the mixed dentition. The female ferrets were generally ahead of the males in the exfoliation age of their deciduous teeth and the eruption age of their permanent teeth, but this, a sex difference did not apply to the eruption age of the deciduous teeth. These extended basic data might facilitate the introduction of this alternative experimental animal into craniofacial research. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.