Cats have 26 deciduous teeth and 30 permanent teeth, fewer than dogs, with no first premolars and one molar in each jaw half. Questions use the dental formula, eruption ages and the modified Triadan system, and ask which tooth is missing, retained or numbered.
Key facts
Normal dentition - dental formula at a glance- Species and system: cat, oral cavity.
- Deciduous formula: 2 x (I 3/3, C 1/1, P 3/2) = 26 (no deciduous molars).
- Permanent formula: 2 x (I 3/3, C 1/1, P 3/2, M 1/1) = 30.
- Eruption: deciduous teeth at about 2-6 weeks; permanent teeth at about 4-7 months (MSD).
- Triadan: permanent quadrants 1-4, deciduous quadrants 5-8; tooth 04 is the canine; tooth 05 (first premolar) is absent in cats.
- Carnassials: maxillary fourth premolar (108/208) and mandibular first molar (309/409).
What's inside
12 sections in the full guide- Key facts
- How the NAVLE tests this
- Cause and pathophysiology
- The dental formulas
- Eruption timeline
- Modified Triadan system
- Tooth types and function
- Normal occlusion and common problems
- Differential diagnoses
- Quick review
- Test yourself
- References
The full guide also has 6 tables, 1 figure, 3 self-test questions and 6 references, available to NAVLE members.
Read the full study guide
The full guide is part of every NAVLE plan, with diagnosis and treatment tables, figures, a quick review and self-test questions. Start a free trial to try the question bank, or log in if you are already a member.