Tooth Morphology

Question 1

List some functions of teeth

Answer 1

Mastication
- Chewing
- Aids digestion
- Avoid choking
- Aids nutrition

Phonetics
- Articulating words
- Create sounds

Aesthetics
- Appearance of teeth and face

Question 2

What are the identifying features of Incisors?

Answer 2

• Front of mouth
• Sharp straight biting surface
• Cutting or shearing of food

Question 3

What are the identifying features of Canines?

Answer 3

• At the ‘corners’ of the mouth
• Sharp pointed biting surface
• Grip and tear food

Question 4

What are the identifying features of Premolars?

Answer 4

• Behind canines, next to cheeks
• Flat surface with ridges
• Crushing and grinding food into smaller pieces
• Not present in primary dentition

Question 5

What are the identifying features of Molars?

Answer 5

• Biggest and strongest teeth
• Behind premolars in permanent dentition, or behind canines in primary dentition
• Food pushed to back of mouth
• Grinds food ready for swallowing

Question 6

Cheek

Answer 6

Buccal

Question 7

Lips

Answer 7

Labial

Question 8

Tongue

Answer 8

Lingual

Question 9

Palate

Answer 9

Palatal

Question 10

Inter-proximal surface

Answer 10

In-between teeth

Question 11

Mesial

Answer 11

Inter-proximal surface facing front of mouth (midline)

Question 12

Distal

Answer 12

Inter-proximal surface facing towards back of mouth

Question 13

Occlusal

Answer 13

The biting surface of posterior teeth

Question 14

Incisal edge

Answer 14

The biting surface of anterior teeth

Question 15

What does the Line angles define?

Answer 15

Defines the junction of two surfaces

Question 16

What does the Point angles define?

Answer 16

Defines the junction of three surfaces

Question 17

List identifying features for Maxillary and Mandibular Incisors

Answer 17

• Sharp mesio-incisal angle
• Rounded disto-incisal angle
• Mammelons on eruption

Question 18

List identifying features for Central Incisors

Answer 18

• Largest incisor
• Widest anterior tooth
• Straighter incisal edge
• Well developed cingulum
• Root straighter but still distally inclined

Question 19

List identifying features for Lateral Incisors

Answer 19

• Smaller than central
• Incisal edge sloped towards distal
• Well developed cingulum
• More likely to have developmental pits on palatal
• **Root apex more distally inclined

Question 20

List identifying features for Maxillary Canines

Answer 20

• Longest tooth from apex to cusp tip
• Pentagonal crown outline
• Single, pointed cusp in line with root
• DI ridge longer than MI ridge
• Diamond shaped crown

Question 21

List identifying features for Mandibular Canines

Answer 21

• Less bulky than maxillary canine
• Crown appears narrow and tall
• Pentagonal crown outline
• Distal sweep to root
• DI ridge longer than MI ridge
• Labial ridge not as prominent as Maxillary canine
• Lingual fossa less pronounced than maxillary canine

Question 22

List identifying features for Maxillary Premolars

Question 23

List identifying features for Mandibular Premolars

Answer 23

• Occlusal surface lingually inclined
• Crown shorter in height than anterior teeth
• Single rooted
• Buccal surface visible from occlusal aspect
• Lower premolars more rounded than uppers (which appear squished in the middle)