The tooth is one of the important body parts that play a very critical role in the food consumption process. It is the main reason why we are able to enjoy all the crunchy food. It actually contributes a lot in the digestive process by breaking down the food into small and simple particles in the initial stages.

It has been a part of our body for a long time. But there are only a few people who know in detail about it. The human teeth can be classified into four types. In this article, we will see them and their functions in detail. Click here to know more about teeth and their functionalities.

The four types of human teeth are incisors, canines, molars, and premolars.

The first four teeth in the upper jaw and the first four in the lower jaw are called as incisors. The main function of the incisors is to cut the food. The two incisors that are present in the midline are called central incisors and two that present by the side of the central incisors is called as lateral incisors. All the incisors have a single root, and they have a very sharp edge to cut the food easily.

There are totally four canines in the oral cavity. Two of the canines are situated in the maxillary area, and the other two are located in the mandibular area. All these canines are present in the located after the incisors. The function of the canines is to tear the food. These canines have pointed edges and have which helps in the tearing process. They have a single root. Compared to all the other teeth they have the longest root and hence it is difficult to remove them. They also play a major role in shaping the mouth.

Premolars are also called as the bicuspids. The teeth that are present behind the canines are called as the premolars. The main function of the premolars is to grind the food. In total the oral cavity has eight premolars. Each quadrant of the mouth has two of these teeth. The first premolar is the one that very close to the midline. The second premolar is the one that is farthest from the midline.  Unlike incisors and canines, the premolars can actually have three to four cusps. The first premolar alone has three roots in total. The rest of the premolars have one root.

Molars are the set of teeth that are located in the posterior part of the tooth cavity. The surfaces of the molars are broader and flatter. They have four to five cusps. The main function of the molars is to grind the food. All the molars have two roots. The molar that is behind the second premolar which is called as the maxillary first molar has three roots. The molars are mostly called as the wisdom tooth. There are eight molars in the primary dentition.