A human being with his full set of teeth in its place has a total of 32 pieces. They are not all the same, but they have different shapes, different structures and are intended for different purposes. Some types of teeth are more prone to certain diseases than others, depending mostly on their location within the mouth.
Here is a brief description of human’s teeth, to help you understand more of them.
How Many Types Of Teeth Are There?
A complete adult teeth set contains four different types of teeth. This differentiation is made based on the number of roots, on the shape of the tooth, and on the specific purpose of each group.
Incissors – The incissors are also known as the front teeth, or cutting teeth. A complete adult dentition has a total of eight incissors. The four lower incissors are typically a little stronger then the upper ones. Incissors have single conical roots, flat surfaces and end in a sharp edge, suited for biting, chopping off and cutting the food. They are placed in the front of your mouth.
Canines – Canines are usually referred to as “fangs”, especially the upper ones. There are 4 canines in a complete adult set. They have a single conical root each, as well as a conical, pointed-edge crown. Both root and crown are larger than those of the rest of the teeth. Canines are designed to shred and tear the food, and are much stronger than other types of teeth. They are located next to the incissors.
Bicuspids – They are called premolars. There are eight premolars in a complete dentition. Their purpose is to chew food, mixing them with saliva to form a paste that can be easily swallowed and digested. They have a crown with two small pyramid-shaped protuberances (called cusps, hence the name “bicuspids”), and they may have either one or two roots. They are found in groups of two, next to and behind each canine tooth.
Molars – These are the backmost human teeth. They are located next to the premolars. A complete dentition has twelve molars, distributed in sets of three (the first molar being the one next to a premolar, and the third molar, also known as “wisdom tooth”, being the one in the back of the mouth, the last piece of the teeth set). Molars have 2 or four roots, and a flat surface ideal for grinding the food as a final step before swallowing.
Different Problems For Different Teeth
Although all teeth are basically affected by the same problems, their specific location inside the mouth sometimes makes them more exposed to certain problems than to others.
Incissors, for instance, are the frontmost teeth, and as such they are visible at plain sight, making any potential problem visually detectable. For this reason, cavities are much less seen on incissors than on other teeth, mainly because any anomaly can be detected and treated promptly.
Canines, on the other hand, have a greater incidence of breaks. This is because they are used to shred and tear, and their strength is sometimes “abused” by trying to deal with hard elements that don’t have much to do with feeding. It is not uncommon to see people that broke their canines trying to do things like taking a cork out of a bottle, or loosening a bolt!
Molars and premolars are the back of the mouth, which makes them are less visible at plain sight. It’s easy for cavities to remain undetected on them, until the pain appears. In addition, there are some problems associated to third molars, the “wisdom teeth”.
It is important to keep in mind that no matter on what tooth is a problem located; your dentist will be able to detect it before it becomes a painful issue. Visiting a dental professional on a regular basis is the smartest thing you can do to protect your teeth.
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