InterestingTeethTeeth: Names, Varieties, and Roles

Teeth consist of several layers, including enamel, dentin, pulp, and cementum. Enamel, the hardest substance in the body, forms the outer layer of the tooth. Dentin lies beneath the enamel and is softer, while the innermost layer, pulp, contains nerves and blood vessels. Cementum covers the tooth’s root below the gums.

Throughout life, individuals undergo changes in the number and types of teeth they possess, starting with primary (baby) teeth and progressing to permanent (adult) teeth. This article examines the teeth present in children and adults, along with their respective functions.

There are several types of teeth in humans:

Incisors:

Incisors are sharp teeth located at the front of the mouth, used for biting and cutting food into smaller pieces. These flat teeth have thin edges and are also known as anterior teeth. Both children and adults have eight incisors—four central incisors positioned at the front of each row, flanked by two lateral incisors on each side.

Canines:

Canines, also called cuspids or eyeteeth, are sharp, pointed teeth adjacent to the incisors, resembling fangs. They are the longest teeth and are utilized for tearing food. Both children and adults possess four canines, with the first permanent canines typically emerging between ages 9 and 12.

Premolars:

Premolars, or bicuspids, are larger than incisors and canines, featuring multiple ridges to aid in chewing and grinding food. Adults have eight premolars, with the first and second premolars situated adjacent to the canines. These teeth typically appear between ages 10 and 12, but young children do not have premolars.

Molars:

Molars are the largest teeth, equipped with a broad, flat surface and ridges for efficient chewing and grinding of food. Adults possess 12 permanent molars—six in each jaw—while children have eight primary molars. Wisdom teeth, or third molars, emerge last, usually between ages 17 and 21, and may cause complications such as impaction or infection due to their positioning at the back of the mouth.

Children begin with 20 primary teeth, which begin erupting around 6 months of age and are usually all present by age 3. These primary teeth are gradually replaced by 28 permanent teeth, with the first permanent molars appearing around age 6. The transition from primary to permanent teeth typically concludes by age 14, marking the completion of tooth development.