Elephants begin getting their tusks at around six months of age. Tusks grow up to seven inches a year and continue growing throughout the elephants' lifetime. Tusks can grow up to ten feet long. However, it is rare to see an elephant with very long tusks because the tusks are typically worn down or broken. The tusks are actually modified incisor teeth.
Elephants use their tusks to dig for water, to protect themselves and to strip bark off of trees.
Males may also use their tusks for fighting. Elephants have four other teeth called molars. Unlike human baby teeth that are pushed out by the adult tooth growing underneath, each set of elephant teeth is pushed out from the back. Male tusks are heavier and thicker than female tusks. Elephant tusks may grow in different directions and sizes.