Shocking wolffish teeth behavior could revolutionize engineering, medicine, study finds
Baku, January 12, AZERTAC
Scientists have discovered a surprising feature in the teeth of the Atlantic wolffish that could inspire stronger bone prosthetics and body armor, and even more resilient vehicles, according to TPS-IL.
At the heart of these teeth is a tissue called osteodentin, which shrinks in every direction when squeezed — a behavior almost never seen in natural, mineral-rich materials. This unusual property allows the teeth to absorb crushing forces, offering a blueprint for creating materials that are both tough and damage-resistant.
Normally, when materials are compressed along their length, they expand sideways. But osteodentin does the opposite, a rare property known as auxeticity, in which a material shrinks in all directions under pressure instead of bulging outward. In tests, when researchers applied force along the tooth’s axis, mimicking the wolffish’s powerful bite, the tissue contracted both sideways and lengthwise. Across all eight teeth studied, measurements fell in a range rarely seen even in man-made materials.
“This was astonishing,” said Prof. Ron Shahar of the Koret School of Veterinary Medicine at Hebrew University, who led the research. “Osteodentin behaves in a way that almost no other natural mineralized tissue does. Its structure allows the tooth to absorb heavy loads safely and efficiently. Nature has built a design that protects the fish from the extreme forces of its diet, and this could inspire new synthetic materials with similar toughness.”
The Atlantic wolffish (Anarhichas lupus) is a marine predator with an eel-like body found in the North Atlantic Ocean. Its most striking feature is its powerful jaws and large, sharp teeth, especially the canines and molar-like teeth in the back of the mouth, which allow the wolffish to crush shells that many other fish cannot. The osteodentin tissue makes the teeth less prone to breaking.
The team used advanced X-ray scanning and 3D mapping techniques to see exactly how the teeth deform under pressure. They found that osteodentin contracts evenly in all directions during compression, a highly unusual response in natural materials.
The secret lies in the tissue’s tiny structure. Osteodentin has a dense network of vertical canals, 10–20 microns wide, running from the base to the tip of the tooth and curving outward near the surface. This arrangement causes the mineral columns between the canals to bend inward when squeezed, increasing the tooth’s toughness and reducing the chance of cracking, the scientists said.
Tests also showed that while the mineral in osteodentin is about as stiff as bone, it is this unique architecture that makes the teeth so strong. “Similar behavior has been seen only in a few invertebrates, like limpet teeth and nacre,” Shahar said.
The researchers believe this feature may exist in other fish as well, suggesting a wider role for osteodentin in nature. Beyond understanding how teeth survive extreme stress, the discovery provides a model for designing synthetic materials that are strong, durable, and absorb energy—qualities valuable in medicine, aerospace, and engineering.
Materials inspired by osteodentin could be used in bone implants, dental prosthetics, and joint replacements, making them more durable, crack-resistant, and able to absorb stress. The discovery raises the possibility of engineering helmets, body armor, sports gear, and even shoes or phone cases with lightweight materials that more effectively absorb impact.
The design principles could also benefit engineering, aerospace, and automotive applications. Vehicles, aircraft, and buildings could incorporate auxetic-inspired materials to withstand repeated stress, collisions, or vibrations while remaining strong and lightweight.
“Studying osteodentin gives us insight into how nature creates materials that are both tough and resilient,” Shahar said. “It’s a remarkable example of natural engineering that could help guide new technologies.”
The study was published in the peer-reviewed Acta Biomaterialia.
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