How do rodent incisors differ from the teeth of most other mammals?

Rodent incisors are distinct from those of most other mammals primarily due to their continuous growth and specialized structure. While many mammals possess teeth that stop growing once fully formed, rodents have rootless, ever-growing incisors that persist throughout their lives.123

These teeth feature a hard layer of enamel on the front surface and softer dentine on the back. As the animal gnaws, the differential wear between these two materials creates and maintains a perpetually sharp, chisel-like edge. Furthermore, rodents lack other incisors and canine teeth, resulting in a gap known as a diastema between the incisors and the cheek teeth. The jaw articulation is also specialized to ensure that the incisors do not meet during chewing and that the cheek teeth do not make contact while the animal is gnawing.2