[chaos_5]

Various ideas have been proposed: that the sabres were used to allow the cat to grip on to the backs of mammoths, like climbers using ice-picks, or that they were used to slice open its prey's belly.

Is it possible that those big teeth just got in the way? Just an thought...

[goldstategop]

The big canines probably retracted into a mouth pouch when not in use. So the animal wouldn't impale itself on its own daggers when it closed its mouth or when it sat down to eat.

[Coyoteman]

Is it possible that those big teeth just got in the way? Just an thought...

That's not likely, given the length of time the critter survived (various species, about 3 million years). Those teeth were most likely evolved for a specific purpose, such as hunting the megafauna that coexisted with Smilodon for so long.

When those critters died out, so did Smilodon.

[caveat emptor]

Is it possible that those big teeth just got in the way? Just an thought..

Mine as well. Here's a pic of a skeleton. Looks like an unusual lower jaw.

[jim_trent]

One theory is that they bit the neck of the prey from below (more reason to think they brought down larger prey). The choppers were well fitted to take out everything vital (blood vessels, breathing tubes, etc) in the neck, without taking the backbone of some of the larger animals of the day.