Background on Dental Anatomy and Morphology

**35**

**Chapter 3**

Morphology

*Zühre Akarslan*

**1. Introduction**

genders [4–9].

is very large [11–13].

incisors [12].

Prologue: Tooth Anatomy and

Knowledge of tooth morphology and anatomy is important in dentistry. Crown

There are two sets of teeth during lifetime, the deciduous teeth and the permanent teeth. The deciduous teeth are present in childhood and replaced with the permanent teeth. There are 20 deciduous teeth. Ten of these are located at the maxillae, and 10 of them are located at the mandible. They are consisted of incisors, canines, and molars. There are 32 permanent teeth. Sixteen of these teeth are located in the maxillae, and 16 are located in the mandible. They are consisted of incisors, canines, premolars, and molars. The main difference between the deciduous and permanent dentition is that the permanent dentition has the premolar teeth. There

are four premolars in the maxillae and four premolars in the mandible [10].

The permanent incisors are placed in front of the oral cavity. There are total eight incisors, four at the maxillae, and four at the mandible. The function of these teeth is cutting food. Their crowns are flattened and they usually have a single root. The incisors are consisted of the central and lateral teeth. The mandibular central incisor is the smallest tooth in the mouth, but the buccolingual dimension of its root

The permanent canines are placed after the lateral incisors. There are two canines in the maxillae and two canines in the mandible. The canines tear and shred food. The canine has a single root and root canal. Its root is longer compared to the

The premolar teeth are located between the canines and the molars. There are four premolars in the maxillae and four premolars in the mandible. The premolars are the transitional teeth. They are only present in the permanent dentition. They guide food from the front of the mouth back to the molars. They can have two or more cusps on their crown [10]. The second maxillary premolar tooth in the maxillae and the first and second premolar tooth in the mandible have one root and root canal. Different from these, the first maxillary premolar tooth has two roots and root canals, one located in the buccal and the other in the palatal area. In some cases

The permanent molars are located in the posterior region in the oral cavity. The molars are placed after the premolars in the permanent dentition. There are six molars

there can be extra roots and root canals in these teeth [3].

morphology is essential in restorative treatment and prosthodontic treatment. External root morphology influences the success of oral surgery, periodontal treatment, orthodontic treatment, and prosthodontic treatment. The knowledge of root canal anatomy is important in endodontics. There can be various root canal configurations affecting the success of root canal treatment [1–3]. The size of teeth crowns, number of roots, and morphology of occlusal surfaces, including cusps, interconnecting depressions, grooves, or pits, may differ among populations and

#### **Chapter 3**
