CANINESCANINES

DR. SYED SADATULLAHDR. SYED SADATULLAHIBNSINA NATIONAL COLLEGEIBNSINA NATIONAL COLLEGE

JEDDAHJEDDAH

Introduction

Canines are very long and stable teeth

There are four canines placed at the corner of the mouth and hence called the ‘corner stones’ of the dentition

They have a single pointed cusp (also called cuspids)

Maxillary canine erupts between 10-12 years and mandibular canine erupts between 9-10 years of age

Maxillary CanineLabial aspect The crown of maxillary canine is narrower mesiodistally than

that of maxillary central incisor.

• The incisal aspect has a large cusp with a pointed cusp tip

• It has two slopes (cusp ridges), the mesial slope being shorter than the distal slope

• The labial surface is smooth and bulky in the middle because of the labial ridge

Labial aspect

Labial ridge

Cusp tip

Distal cusp ridge Mesial Cusp

Ridge

Lingual aspect

• The crown and root are narrower lingually

• The cingulum is well developed, large and sometimes pointed like a cusp

• Occasionally a well developed lingual ridge is seen that divides the lingual fossa into mesial and distal lingual fossae

• Heavy marginal ridges are associated with well formed cingulum and fossae

Lingual aspect

Cingulum

Distal marginal ridge

Distal lingual fossa

Lingual ridge

Mesial marginal ridge

Mesial lingual fossa

Mesial aspect

• From the mesial aspect canine looks similar but bulkier than maxillary central incisor

• Maxillary canine is the widest anterior tooth labiolingually

• The cervical line curvature is towards the cusp (incisally)

• The contact area is near the junction of the incisal and middle third

Mesial aspect

Distal aspect• Distal surface is very similar to the mesial surface

• The cervical line exhibits less curvature

• The contact are is near the middle third

Distal aspect

Incisal aspect

• The labiolingual dimension is greater than the mesiodistal dimension

• The cusp tip is labial to the centre of the crown labiolingually and mesial to the centre mesiodistally

• The labial ridge and the cingulum are very noticeable from this aspect

Incisal aspect

Root – only oneThe root is the longest and strongest of all the teeth in the

dentition

The mesial and distal surfaces of the root have developmental

depressions.

2.5 1.5 7.0 8.0 5.5

7.5 17.0 10.0

Curvature of Cervical Line

M D

Labiolingual

Diameter at

Cervical Line

Labiolingual

Diameter at

Crest of Curvature

Mesiodistal

Diameter at

Cervical Line

Mesiodistal

Diameter at

Contact Area

Root

Length

Crown Length

Average Dimensions in millimeters

Mandibular Canine

Labial aspect

Mandibular canines are similar to maxillary canines except that they are slightly narrower mesiodistally

Mesial outline of the crown is straight and inline with the mesial outline of the root

The mesial cusp ridge is smaller than the distal cusp ridge

Lingual aspect The lingual surface of the crown is smooth and flat simulating

the surface of mandibular lateral incisor

Cingulum is less prominent and marginal ridges are less distinct

Mesial and Distal aspects These aspects are very similar and the cervical line curves

more on the mesial aspect

The contact area on mesial aspect is in the incisal third and a little higher on the distal third

Incisal aspect Like maxillary canine the labiolingual dimension is more than

the mesiodistal dimension

The cusp tip appears inclined in a lingual direction

Root The root is shorter by 1 or 2 mm

The developmental depression is more pronounced on the lower canine

Labial aspect Lingual aspect

Mesial aspect Distal aspect

Incisal aspect