Drilling old elk teeth

[newmexkid]

A Native American friend of mine is working on a project for me and I would like for him to use a set of bull elk teeth I have had for years. My question is... Do the elk teeth get brittle with age? My friend isn't sure if it's ok to drill into the root of the tooth due to the possibility of the teeth being too brittle. Thoughts?

 

[Bret GRAVELINE Graveline]

While I really can't say with real certainty, im going to say no they dont, I had this ring made a few years ago, this tooth is from a bull my father shot back in the 60's, over the nearly two dozen years we had elk camp out of the 50 to 60 elk we harvested this is the only to have a cavity, at the time I had it fashioned the jeweler said it would be just fine,
I should add that special care was ever given to help preserve them,

 

[birddog 68]

I'm probably not going to be much help either but unless you are displaying the teeth somehow now it would be a no brainer for me. Let him drill them so you can display them.
Is he planning on making a piece of jewelry? I had a pair of earrings made for my wife, and this pendant was made for me from my first elk.