Teeth: structure, function and misalignments

A beautiful set of teeth immediately makes you look more attractive. But what functions do teeth perform and how are they structured?

The structure of your teeth 

The human dentition consists of a total of 32 teeth: eight incisors, four canines, eight front small molars (premolars) and twelve rear larger molars (molars).

Each tooth has the same structure. At the top is the crown of the tooth, below that is the neck of the tooth and finally the root of the tooth. The molars (premolars and molars), unlike the incisors and canines, have more than one root.

The function of your teeth 

The incisors are located in the front of the jaw. They are very sharp, and therefore they are used for biting off food.

Next to each of them are the pointed canine teeth. They are extremely sturdy and serve the purpose of holding and biting off food.

This is followed by two small molars (premolars) on each side. They have two to three cusps, which make it easier to hold and chew food.

Next to them are the large molars, which grind the food very finely.

The wisdom teeth are at the end.

Structure and function of milk teeth

The eruption of the first milk tooth (teething) varies greatly. Generally, children reach full dentition at the age of three. Milk teeth have an important function, which is to save space for the permanent teeth that come later, which are much larger and wider.

The dentition of milk teeth consists of only 20 teeth: 8 incisors, 4 canine teeth and 8 molars. 

Teeth misalignments  

When teeth are misaligned, they are outside the ideal dental arch of the upper or lower jaw.

Tooth positions not only influence the appearance, but also have medical consequences.