Maxillary and Mandibular Canines

Canine Review (Maxillary & Mandibular)

• Maxillary (Mx) and Mandibular (Md) canines look similar
• They are positioned at the mouth's corners, marking the dental arches' limits
• Stable teeth; support incisors and premolars
• The most extended teeth in the mouth
• The canines' crown has a similar length to maxillary central incisors
• Posses single pointed cusps
• Single roots are the longest
• The crown shape supports self-cleaning and hygiene
• The extensive roots provide excellent anchorage, preserving the arch
• The 'Canine eminence' helps facial expression

Maxillary Canine Details

• The canine is located at the corners of the mouth, acting as a cornerstone
• Show a series of curves/arcs on labial and lingual aspects
• Cusp has mesial and distal incisal ridges
• Eruption chronology: 11-12 years
• Root completion chronology: 13-15 years
• Proximal areas of contact: Mesial- where the incisal meets the middle third; Distal- middle third
• The crown is convex close to the root
• Mesial surface curvature is convex
• Distal surface is concave at the middle third
• Cusp tip mesial to the M-D bisector
• Often have a curving root

Maxillary Canine Lobes and Ridges

• Characterized by three lobes, the middle lobe being most prominent
• Posses a Facial ridge that extends to the tip.
• Crown & root are narrower lingually than labially
• Large cingulum is somewhat small inapparence
• Presence of mesial & distal fossae
• The labiolingual measurement is more significant than any other anterior tooth
• Characterized by a wedge-shaped crown

Maxillary Canine Root and Identification

• The root has shallow developmental depressions
• Exhibits less curvature towards the cusp ridge
• The distal marginal ridge is heavier and more irregular
• Significant depression in the root
• The labiolingual dimension is greater than the mesiodistal
• The Distal half appears stretched for contact with 1st premolar

Mandibular Canine Features

• The Maxillary Canine looks similar to the Mandibular Canine
• Eruption: 9-10 years
• Root completion: 12-14 years
• Contacts areas: mesial third (incisal), distal middle third

Key Mandibular Canine Aspect

• Narrower mesiodistally than maxillary canine but broader than mandibular incisors
• Cusp tip aligned with root center
• Appears longer than the maxillary canine
• Mesial outline is nearly straight
• A smooth cingulum is poorly developed
• Marginal ridges are less distinct
• The root is narrower compared to the canine

Notable Differences: Maxillary vs. Mandibular Canines

Canine Review Summary

• The longest and most stable teeth
• They support functional occlusion & facial structure
• Maxillary canines are larger and have a more prominent cingulum
• Mandibular canines have a straighter mesial outline, which can make the canine less prenonuced
• Play a part in biting, tearing, and the aesthetics of the dental arch.

Maxillary Premolars

• Number of maxillary premolars Four
• assist in mastication.
• Maintain vertical dimension of the face.
• Canines are aided in cutting food.
• Support mouth corners and cheeks to prevent sagging.
• Crowns shorter than canines but longer than molars.
• Marginal ridges are in a more horizontal plane.
• one buccal, one lingual when two roots are present

Maxillary First Premolar Details

• Characterized by cusps (buccal and lingual); buccal cusp is 1 mm longer
• Dimensions: Narrower mesiodistally than canines.
• Characterized by roots, typically two
• Pulp Canals: Usually two.
• Eruption Age: 10-11 years.
• Root Completion: 12-13 years.

Maxillary First Premolar Features

• Trapezoidal crown shape
• Prominent middle buccal lobe
• Presence of a mesial cusp slope
• Lingual cusp narrower mesiodistally than buccal
• The apex in the two-root specimens is blunter
• A developmental depression extends beyond the cervical line
• has a deep mesial marginal ridge groove
• Root trunk is fairly long, about half the root length

Maxillary Second Premolar

• less pointed cusp.
• usually possesses roots.
• eruption age 10-12 years
• root completion 13-15 years
• the cups are shorter, nearly equal in length
• has shallow developmental grooves

Second Premolar Traits Identification

• More rounded occlusal outline
• The shorter central groove has an irregular look
• Exhibits supplementary grooves
• Mesial contact is more buccal
• Less mesial marginal ridge groove (37%).
• Mesial outline convex.
• Lingual cusp tips toward mesial
• Distal marginal ridge longer than mesial

Maxillary 1st vs 2nd

Mandibular Premolars

• They have 4 premolars in total
• Location: Posterior to mandibular canines, anterior to mandibular molars
• Exhibits shallow notches on the cusp ridges
• The smallest, second premolar.
• aids the mandibular canine
• Characterized by two cusps (buccal and lingual)
• 4 lobes: 3 buccal, 1 lingual
• mesial middle third, distal middle third
• eruption 10-12 years
• root completion 12-13 years

Key Mandibular First Premolar Aspects

• five-sided pentagon shape.
• has a symmetrical crown with pointed cusp
• distally, the mesial cusp ridge is shorter
• Its buccal ridge that runs up the cervical tip
• Mesiolingual has developmental groove, extending into its mesial fossa
• The tooth is rhomboidal, with occlusal surface sloping to the lingual
• A development can be observed in 67% of distal and mesial facets

Mandibular First Premolar

• Distal marginal ridge is higher than mesial
• Convex and smooth shape
• The groove looks like a snake eye

Mandibular Second Premolar details

• There are two forms, three-cusp type (Y-pattern): 5 lobes (3 buccal, 2 lingual) and two-cusp type (U or H-pattern): 4 lobes (3 buccal, 1 lingual)
• Contacts Areas are found in Mesial & Distal (middle third)
• Eruption: 11-12 years
• The root completion 13-14 years

Mandibular Second Premolar Features

• buccal cusp is shorter and less pointed
• The lingual lobe is further developed than the first premolar
• Marginal ridge at a right angle to long axis
• Three-cusp type's groove pattern follows Y

Key differences Between First and Second Premolars

Molars - General Characteristic

• These are the most extensive and most posterior teeth
• Non-succedaneous (erupt distal to deciduous teeth)
• Molar teeth are first permanent teeth to surface
• three molars per quadrant (six per arch, twelve in total): 1st (six-year molar), 2nd (twelve-year molar), 3rd molar - Wisdom tooth
• The primary grinding food, secondary functions: Esthetics, phonetics, muscle support, and maintaining vertical dimension

Molars - Maxillary vs Mandibular

1. Maxillary molars are wider buccolingually (BL), and mandibular molars are wider mesiodistally (MD).
2. Maxillary molars typically have four cusps, with varied lingual cusp sizes; mandibular molars often have four cusps of equal size.
3. Maxillary molars have an oblique ridge and a distolingual groove, which mandibular molars lack.
4. Maxillary molar crowns appear rhomboidal/heart-shaped occlusally, whereas mandibular molars are rectangular/pentagonal.
5. Maxillary molars have three roots, while mandibular molars have two roots.

General Points on Permanent Maxillary Molars

• Largest tooth in the maxillary arch; least variable in anatomy.
• there are three roots (2 buccal, 1 lingual) namely, Mesiobuccal (MB) and Distobuccal (DB)
• It presents itself as the distal cusp with Cusp of Carabelli
• the central, distal, mesial triangular, and distal triangular Fossae
• It presents palatal transverse,distal oblique, central, and buccal Grooves
• Eruption at 6-7 years

Second/Third Maxillary Molar Aspect

• Smaller than the first molar, in distolingual
• Have closer and more inclined roots
• 2 common occlusal shapes
• Eruption: 12-13 years
• the most tooth varies in its third eruption

Root and Crown Maxillary Molars

• Cusp of Carabelli, root fusion, sinus penetration
• Mulberry molar, enamel ears are Mandibular crowns
• Root and crown third molars have variable shape, are often missing

Permanent Mandibular Molars

• The largest and strongest mandibular tooth
• Five cusps: MB, DB, Distal (D), ML, DL
• Two (mesial and distal), well-separated roots
• pentagonal outline, Developmental grooves: Central, MB, DB, lingual

Mandibular Molars

• central, distal, mesial triangular fossae
• smaller and more symmetrical than the 1st molar
• 4 cusps (no distal cusp)
• exhibits a cross groove pattern
• its roots are closer together

Eruption and Root Completion