Alpaca Teeth: Incisors, Fighting Teeth and Dental Care

Alpaca teeth are unusual: no upper front teeth, a hard dental pad, and in males a set of sharp “fighting teeth”. Most alpacas need little dental work, but knowing what’s normal prevents problems.

Normal alpaca teeth

• Lower incisors (six) bite against the upper dental pad — there are no upper front incisors.
• Cheek teeth (premolars and molars) grind forage.
• Fighting teeth: upper and lower canines plus a pair of vestigial upper incisors erupt at about 2–3 years, mostly in males. Females have smaller ones that may not erupt fully.

Incisor alignment

The lower incisors should meet the front edge of the dental pad. If they stick out beyond it, the alpaca may struggle to graze short grass.

• Undershot jaws are often inherited — avoid breeding affected animals. See malocclusion.
• Overgrown incisors can be trimmed by a vet using a dental burr, wire or grinder.

Fighting teeth

Male fighting teeth are sharp enough to tear ears and injure legs and testicles. Many owners have them trimmed to the gum line with obstetric wire, usually by a vet and often at shearing. Check males from about two years old. See fighting teeth injuries.

Signs of dental trouble

• Dropping feed (quidding) or slow chewing
• Weight loss
• Hard lumps along the jaw, sometimes draining pus — possible tooth root abscess
• Bad breath, drooling, swelling of the face

Aging by teeth

Permanent incisors replace baby teeth between about 2 and 3 years of age; fighting teeth appear around the same time in males. After that, age estimates from teeth are rough. Registered animals have recorded birth dates.

Frequently asked questions

Do alpacas have top teeth? Not at the front — they have a hard dental pad instead. They do have upper cheek teeth and, in males, upper fighting teeth.

Should fighting teeth be removed? They’re usually trimmed, not extracted, to prevent injuries between males.