Teeth
Out of the wolf's forty-two teeth, forty help the wolf in securing its prey. There are six incisors on the top and six on the bottom, two canines on the top and two on the bottom, eight premolars on the top and eight on the bottom, and four molars on the top and four on the bottom. The largest teeth are the canines, or fangs, which may reach two and a quarter inches in total length, including the portion imbedded in the jaw. These are the tools that help the wolf hold onto its ®preyŻ. The cutting and chewing is done by the carnassials, or flesh teeth - the fourth upper premolar and the first lower molar. These specialized teeth are much like a pair of self-sharpening shears and function well in cutting tendons and tough flesh. The massive molars help crush bones.