Rock Identifier
Dinosaur Tooth Fossil (Vertebrate tooth fossil (permineralized)) — fossil
fossil

Dinosaur Tooth Fossil

Vertebrate tooth fossil (permineralized)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness varies around 5 on Mohs scale due to mineral replacement. Color ranges from dark brown and black to grey with a vitreous to dull luster. Composed primarily of dense, crystalline fluorapatite replacing original biological enamel and dentin.

Identified More fossil →
Explore Dinosaur Tooth Fossil in the encyclopedia →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App StoreGoogle Play

Physical properties

Hardness varies around 5 on Mohs scale due to mineral replacement. Color ranges from dark brown and black to grey with a vitreous to dull luster. Composed primarily of dense, crystalline fluorapatite replacing original biological enamel and dentin.

Formation & geological history

Formed through permineralization, where groundwater minerals replace organic material over millions of years during the Mesozoic Era. Typically discovered in sedimentary deposits and ancient riverbeds.

Uses & applications

Valued primarily as a paleontological specimen, educational tool, and collector's item for fossil enthusiasts.

Geological facts

Teeth are the most common dinosaur fossils found because their durable enamel resists weathering better than bone. The distinct surface pattern often reveals feeding habits or taxonomic family.

Field identification & locations

Identify by characteristic shape, enamel sheen, and distinct root or crown morphology. Common locations include North American badlands and North African phosphate mines.

More like this

Other fossil specimens

Probable fossil-bearing rock or mineral concretion (Unidentified carbonate-rich concretion with a possible fossil inclusion) — fossil

Probable fossil-bearing rock or mineral concretion

Unidentified carbonate-rich concretion with a possible fossil inclusion

fossil
Likely fossil oyster shell (Fossilized bivalve shell; exact species cannot be identified from the image) — fossil

Likely fossil oyster shell

Fossilized bivalve shell; exact species cannot be identified from the image

fossil
Crinoid Stem Fossil in Matrix (Phylum Echinodermata, Class Crinoidea) — fossil

Crinoid Stem Fossil in Matrix

Phylum Echinodermata, Class Crinoidea

fossil
Fossiliferous limestone (likely a crinoidal or shell-fragment limestone) (Bioclastic limestone, composed chiefly of calcite (CaCO₃)) — sedimentary

Fossiliferous limestone (likely a crinoidal or shell-fragment limestone)

Bioclastic limestone, composed chiefly of calcite (CaCO₃)

sedimentary
Porous limestone pebble (Calcite-rich limestone (primarily CaCO₃); exact identification is uncertain from the image) — sedimentary

Porous limestone pebble

Calcite-rich limestone (primarily CaCO₃); exact identification is uncertain from the image

sedimentary
Weathered fossil bone fragment (identification uncertain) (Fossilized bone; exact taxon and mineral composition cannot be determined from the image) — fossil

Weathered fossil bone fragment (identification uncertain)

Fossilized bone; exact taxon and mineral composition cannot be determined from the image

fossil