What minerals can be used to make teeth?
Vertebrate tooth enamel is made from Hydroxylapatite, however this need not be the only material available that an alien species could use to make teeth or tooth-like structures.
Given that an ideal tooth would be hard, strong and able to be precipitated biologically in-situ from commonly-available elements (rather than being found as is the case with gizzard stones), and would be in use by creatures with many differing diets, what substances would make the best teeth? Please support answers with a discussion of the likely appearance of the teeth, the relevant physical properties of the teeth such as hardness, strength and elasticity, as well as the substances that would be required in the creature's diet and/or environment to allow said teeth to develop.
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