At Walden Square Dental, our team strives to educate our patients about caring for and preserving the health of their teeth. We encourage you to ask us all your dental-related questions because we want to promote a better understanding of how your teeth work. Today, we want to talk about why you have different kinds of teeth and explain the role that each type of tooth plays.
Why Do We Need Different Kinds of Teeth?
Most adults have 28-32 permanent teeth. Your teeth’s different sizes and shapes allow them to perform specialized functions that work together to help you properly eat, talk, and smile. Let’s take a closer look at the different capabilities of your five kinds of teeth.
- 8 Incisors
- 4 Canines
- 8 Molars
- 8 Premolars
- 0-4 Wisdom Teeth
Your incisors are the eight center teeth at the very front of your mouth (four on the top and four on the bottom) that make up the majority of your smile. These flat, thin teeth designed for cutting and biting food into manageable chunks are usually the first baby and adult teeth to come in.
Your sharp, pointed canines are located at the curve of your jaw. These are similar to the canine teeth of wolves, lions, and other mammals, and allow us to grip, tear, and rip food.
Your molars are the teeth furthest back in your mouth. These large teeth have broad, flat surfaces that make them the main teeth used for chewing and grinding food.
Premolars are in front of and smaller than your molars. Their flat surface and position allow you to grip, tear, chew, and grind your food.
Your wisdom teeth, or your “third molars”, are remnants from our ancestors, whose diet required them to have additional teeth that could withstand grinding dense food. Most of us have them removed as teenagers or in early adulthood to avoid potential issues with overcrowding, infection, and misalignment.
We Look Forward to Hearing From You!
Our different kinds of teeth enable us to enjoy a wide variety of foods, from crunchy carrots to juicy hamburgers. To ask our team any other questions about your teeth and how to care for them, or to schedule your next visit to Walden Square Dental, contact our office today.
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