Elven teeth and other quirks of physiology

[Impenitent]

Teeth are rather on my mind at the moment, due to recent massive expenditure on dentistry, and it occurred to me that elves either end up with horrible teeth worn down to the gums or their physiological processes allow for renewal in some way foreign to human beings.

We get two sets of teeth; and after that, all that chomping wears them down if decay doesn't get them first.

We can magically wave away decay by assuming that bacteria have as little impact on their teeth as on the rest of their corporeal body due to the elven immune system, but we can't wave away the wear imposed by the ages. Their bodies are as susceptible to that kind of external force as human bodies.

So, how do they keep their pearly whites through the ages? Are they like elephant tusks, continuing to grow throughout life? Elven dentistry with magical implants?

I cant imagine Galadriel with yellowing, worn stumps.

[Primula Baggins]

Elven oatmeal mush and mashed potatoes. And no sugar ever.

[Túrin Turambar]

Immortality is one of those things that seems much simpler than it actually is. Even aside from teeth, unless the members of an immortal society had the ability to re-grow body parts wholesale (which based on the example of Maedhros, they don’t) they would all end up crippled and deformed. If you live forever, the changes of you being involved in a serious accident that causes maiming approaches one.

[Primula Baggins]

Especially if you're an Elven warrior, yes.

Maybe it would help that the healing process would also have much longer to work, so that anything short of maiming would eventually heal completely. "The doctor says to stay off it for fifty years, and it'll be fine."

[Galin]

I'm a bit surprised that this thread exists... but I'll bite :cough:

"Where their own fear, being designed to remain in Arda to its end, imposed long endurance on their bodies; for they were (as a fact of experience) in far greater control of them. (Author's note 5, p. 341)"

They [the Elves] were thus capable of far greater and longer physical exertions (in pursuit of some dominant purpose of their minds) without weariness; they were not subject to diseases; they healed rapidly and completely after injuries that would have proved fatal to Men; and they could endure great physical pain for long periods. Their bodies could not, however, survive vital injuries, or violent assaults upon their structure; nor replace missing members (such as a hand hewn off).

Note 5 to the commentary to the Athrabeth, Morgoth's Ring

And...

"... for the longevity of the Quendi was derived primarily from their fear..." Aman, Morgoth's Ring

So the Elvish fëa -- rough translated as "spirit" -- sustained the teeth as well as everything else, I would say, long enough until the body faded to invisibility (if an Elf remained in Middle-earth), after which (it seems) the faded Elf no longer needed to eat food to live. Plus, in general I imagine those Elves who were reincarnated were given new bodies as they were before they lost hands, for example.

It's sort of like if you smash up your vehicle, you can get a "dental car" of the exact same make and model

On the other (unlost) hand, some might think this "answer" is essentially the same as saying: "it's magic" or "immortal teeth don't wear away".

So... that too

Hey... nice choppers Mr Green!

[Voronwë the Faithful]

"... for the longevity of the Quendi was derived primarily from their fear..." Aman, Morgoth's Ring

This quote is rather amusing without the diacritical. (needless to say, we could not include "fëar" among the words that automatically got diacriticalized since "fear" is a fairly commonly used word in English, though we include "fëa".)

[Galin]

I wondered why fëa automatically... and against my will... read fëa with a diaeresis. A Tolkienian diaeresis helps with a certain measure of confusion, and creates a certain measure of confusion.

Even in a thread about teëth! Or tëëth!

[Frelga]

"... for the longevity of the Quendi was derived primarily from their fear..." Aman, Morgoth's Ring

This quote is rather amusing without the diacritical. (needless to say, we could not include "fëar" among the words that automatically got diacriticalized since "fear" is a fairly commonly used word in English, though we include "fëa".)

We have nothing to fëar except fëar itself?

[Primula Baggins]

Sure, type "fëa" and then edit to add the -r.

[Galin]

I typed fëa and edited the e

But it didn't work!

So fe a!

[Primula Baggins]

Well, the trouble with the autosubstitution is that you can't make it stop for demonstration purposes.

[Jude]

If you're really desperate, do the following:

fea

(push the "quote" button to see how it's done)

[Galin]

Ahh... tricksy!

fea

Yëah, that's better!