Back to School: The Anatomy of Your Permanent Teeth
- Incisors: An incisor is a narrow-edged tooth at the front of the mouth. Incisors have adapted for cutting to crush foods, making them easier to swallow. Most people have four incisors on the upper jaw and four on the lower. These include your front two teeth and the teeth on either side of them.
- Canines: These are the four sharper, pointed teeth on each side of the incisors. They are similar to incisors. They are located on each quadrant: upper right, upper left, lower right, and lower left. Canine teeth are called so because they bear a resemblance to dog fangs.
- Premolars: These teeth are also referred to as bicuspid. They sit between your canines and the teeth in the back of your mouth. They also help you tear and grind food into smaller pieces to make it easier for consumption.
- Molars: These are the teeth in the very back of your mouth, which are predominately used for chewing. In most adults’ mouths, there are 12 molars, three in each quadrant. Your molar teeth include your wisdom teeth.