What are the different types of teeth? Teeth can help individuals speak, eat, and smile while allowing you to make your face look much fuller. An individual’s teeth are often made of various layers, including cementum, pulp, dentin, and enamel.

(Source)

Enamel is the hardest substance in the body and acts as the tooth’s outer covering. The enamel mainly protects the second layer of the tooth called dentin,  which is significantly softer than enamel. Finally, the deepest part of the tooth is the pulp, which comprises different nerves and blood vessels.

Finally, the last part of the tooth is the cementum, which protects the roots of the tooth. The cementum will always be at the lowest part of the tooth, which you can find beneath the gums.

Different Types of Teeth Explained

The teeth that people have over their life can change, as people will always have two sets of teeth. A person’s first teeth are their primary or baby teeth, which will then grow into permanent or adult teeth.

Not only do people usually have different types of teeth, all of which will usually serve a different purpose. Here are the different types of teeth that adults or children will have and the different purposes they serve.

Molars

The molars are easily the biggest teeth that adults and children will often have. These teeth are large with a ridge on them that can allow you to grind the food and make it easier to swallow. Children will have a set of 8 molars, with two on the bottom right and left and two on the top right and left. When the adult teeth come around, one more molar is added to each corner of the jaw, bringing the total number of molars to 12.

The third molar, also called the wisdom teeth, will always grow out on the far corners of the jaw. Sometimes these molars can remain trapped under the gums, hidden from the rest of the teeth. But if the wisdom teeth cannot properly push through the gums, it can significantly increase the risk of infection.

Molars play a very simple role in the mouth, as they grind and break down food before a person can swallow it.

Premolars

Like the molars, the premolars play a very simple role in grinding food to make it easier for people to chew. The best way to visualize them is that they are a mix between incisors and molars.

Adults will have eight premolars, with children not having any. They will usually grow out premolars between the ages of 10 and 12. Both premolars will be located next to the canine teeth.

Canines

These teeth are sharp and pointy and are right next to the incisors. These teeth often look like fangs; their purpose is to allow people to tear down food. Both primary and permanent sets of teeth will have these canines, and the ones in the lower jaw are usually the first to come out.

Incisors

The incisors make up the best part of anyone’s smile by rounding up the different types of teeth. These teeth have a very thin edge; their purpose is to help people tear into food and cut it into smaller chunks before sending the food to the molars. Both adults and children will have as many as eight incisors, also called anterior teeth.

(Source)

Different Types of Teeth: Conclusion

By understanding your teeth better, you will know which of your teeth are damaged and which need immediate attention.

If you’re looking for a professional dentist to help you with your teeth, why not try Ideal Smiles Dental? They have multiple dentists with decades of experience in the field, so visit Idealsmilesdental.com today and book an appointment.

IDEAL SMILES DENTAL
2955 Veterans Rd. W, Suite 2G
Staten Island, NY 10309

718-535-1196
idealsmilesdental@gmail.com