Get To Know Your Teeth

Incisors, Canines, Bicuspids and Molars: Get to Know Your Teeth

The average adult has 32 permanent teeth, and each tooth has its own function.  Take a look at your smile, and you’ll notice that your teeth are quite unique, with useful variations in shape and size.  Getting to know the different types of teeth in your mouth gives you a new appreciation of how these handy tools work together to accomplish a common goal: helping your body get the nutrients it needs by cutting, tearing, crushing and grinding food.

      Incisors are for cutting

When it comes to your mouth, incisors take the center stage.  Your incisors are the four teeth that are front and center on the top and bottom of your mouth.  The two teeth in the center are called central incisors, and the ones on either side of them are lateral incisors.  These teeth are adapted to cut and shear food into small pieces.  You use them to take the first bite into sandwiches, apples, celery sticks and other foods that can be tough to tear.

These teeth also play a vital role in speech, and you need them to correctly form and enunciate words.  Try making the “TH” sound without making contact with your upper incisors – you’ll see it really can’t be done without these important teeth, or the “F” sound.

Canines are for tearing

Humans have four canines – one pair on the upper jaw and the other on the lower. These teeth flank the lateral incisors, and they’re the sharpest teeth in your mouth.  They typically have a pointy shape, taking on a “fanglike” appearance. Canines are used to grip and tear food. Whether you’re ripping off a bite of delicious pizza or tearing a steak into more manageable bites, canines make it happen.  Without canines, you’d have to cut large pieces of food into smaller bites – they help make eating everyday foods much easier.

Bicuspids are for crushing

Bicuspids, or premolars, are found directly behind the canines and in front of the molars. There are normally eight bicuspids in the mouth, and they have an interesting structure to simplify the eating process.  Each bicuspid has some sharp points that pierce food and make bites easier to swallow.  They also have flat areas on their surface to crush food into smaller particles.  While these teeth are less visible and don’t contribute to speech, without them you’d have a lot of trouble breaking food down for swallowing.

Molars are for grinding

You’ll find a total of eight molars in the back of your mouth – a pair on either side, top and bottom.  These large teeth are designed to chew, crush and grind food, to turn each bite into a pulp that’s easy to swallow.  As the strongest teeth in your mouth, they put the highest amount of pressure onto food.  After you use the other teeth in your mouth to break food into manageable pieces, your tongue naturally pushes the bites back toward the molars to let them work their magic.

Every tooth serves a purpose

Your teeth play a vital role in helping you get food and nutrients into your body, but they also contribute to your speech and overall appearance.  Remember that teeth work together to accomplish a common goal, and when one tooth fails, it affects the function of your entire mouth.  Follow good dental hygiene and visit your dentist regularly to keep all teeth in excellent condition.  If you are missing a tooth, Levenson Periodontal Associates would love to help you replace your missing tooth with a dental implant.