Morphological features of tooth development and replacement in the rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus.

•Tooth replacement is initiated at the lingual side of the deciduous tooth.•Permanent tooth morphogenesis can occur at the vestibular side of the deciduous tooth.•Rabbit first molars present a rudimentary successional dental lamina.•Newborn rabbits present dentin holes in their incisors opening the pulp cavity.•The rabbit is a suitable model to study mammalian tooth replacement.