Pathological
Also: pathology, pathological tooth, deformed tooth
A fossil tooth that grew abnormally — bent, split-tipped, or otherwise deformed — from injury, disease, or a developmental glitch. Often prized for its rarity and the life story it records.
A pathological tooth is one that did not grow the way it should have. Injury to the jaw, infection, a developmental hiccup, or damage to the tooth bud can leave a fossil tooth bent, twisted, doubled, or split at the tip. Far from being flaws to hide, these are windows into the life of an individual animal.
Common pathologies
A frequent example is the split- or double-tip, where the crown divides into two points — sometimes because two tooth buds fused, sometimes because one bud split (a process called gemination), and sometimes from an old feeding injury. Bent crowns and irregular serrations are other forms.
Why collectors seek them
Pathological Megalodon teeth are genuinely uncommon and carry a story that science finds valuable, so they often command a premium among knowledgeable collectors. A true pathology is natural and original — which is exactly why honest disclosure separating it from later restoration matters, and why it belongs on the certificate of authenticity.