For example, they compared thetooth enamel wear of dinosaurs and crocodilesthe living animals closest to these theropods.
Tooth enamel”must stay hydrated to stay healthy“, details Mr. Cullen. “If exposed to air for too long, it becomes crumbly and more likely to crack or catch disease“.
According to the paleobiologist, the enamel on the outer part of the teeth of living crocodiles wears out faster than that on the inner part because they have no lips.
“When we looked at the enamel thickness on the inside and outside of the teeth of large tyrannosaurs, they didn’t exhibit this type of crocodile-like configuration.“, he continues.
“They feature a model closer to animals with lips“, says Thomas Cullen. “The thickness of their enamel is the same on the outer and inner sides“.