Incisor

Incisors (from Latin incidere, to cut) are the front teeth present in most mammals.

They are located in the premaxilla above and on the mandible below. Humans have a total of eight (two on each side, top and bottom). Opossums have 18, whereas armadillos have none.

Incisor
Incisor
Permanent teeth of the right half of the lower dental arch, seen from above.
Incisor
The permanent teeth of a human, viewed from the right.
Details
Identifiers
Latindens incisivus
MeSHD007180
TA98A05.1.03.004
TA2906
FMA12823
Anatomical terminology

Structure

Adult humans normally have eight incisors, two of each type. The types of incisors are:

Children with a full set of deciduous teeth (primary teeth) also have eight incisors, named the same way as in permanent teeth. Young children may have from zero to eight incisors depending on the stage of their tooth eruption and tooth development. Typically, the mandibular central incisors erupt first, followed by the maxillary central incisors, the mandibular lateral incisors and finally the maxillary laterals. The rest of the primary dentition erupts after the incisors.

Apart from the first molars, the incisors are also the first permanent teeth to erupt, following the same order as the primary teeth, among themselves.

Other animals

Among other animals, the number varies from species to species. Opossums have 18, whereas armadillos have none. Cats, dogs, foxes, pigs, and horses have twelve. Rodents have four. Rabbits and hares (lagomorphs) were once considered rodents, but are distinguished by having six—one small pair, called "peg teeth", is located directly behind the most anterior pair. Incisors are used to bite off tough foods, such as red meat.

Cattle (cows, bulls, etc.) have none on top but a total of six on the bottom.

Function

In cats, the incisors are small; biting off meat is done with the canines and the carnassials. In elephants, the upper incisors are modified into curved tusks (unlike with Narwhals, where it is a canine that develops into a straight and twisted tusk). The incisors of rodents grow throughout life and are worn by gnawing. In humans, the incisors serve to cut off pieces of food, as well as in the grip of other food items.

Additional images

See also

References

Tags:

Incisor StructureIncisor FunctionIncisor Additional imagesIncisor

🔥 Trending searches on Wiki English:

Miranda CosgroveGeorgia national football teamNatasha Richardson2003 Angola Boeing 727 disappearanceLokesh KanagarajInterstellar (film)Comstock lawsThe Beekeeper (2024 film)Kanye WestIndonesia national football teamGerard PiquéWinona RyderThe Gentlemen (2024 TV series)September 11 attacksLove Lies Bleeding (2024 film)Scarlett JohanssonChennai Super KingsCristiano RonaldoWes MooreDani AlvesAudi CrooksList of countries by GDP (nominal) per capitaExhumaLeBron JamesFrancis Scott KeyMargot RobbieCorey HaimAndrew HubermanShirley ChisholmDave CalhounRaindrop cakeSpaceman (2024 film)2026 FIFA World CupNaughty AmericaJames Earl JonesUnited Nations Security CouncilJapan Air Lines Flight 123Godzilla vs. KongStella AssangeDwayne JohnsonThe Ministry of Ungentlemanly WarfareWinston ChurchillHenry VIIISonam Wangchuk (engineer)Silent SpringC (programming language)Jason StathamSoviet UnionGeneration XFormula OneLiverpool F.C.Ryan GoslingBrooke ShieldsKillers of the Flower Moon (film)Independence Day (Bangladesh)Elizabeth TaylorNarendra ModiBenjamin NetanyahuAssassination of Abraham LincolnJennette McCurdyMisa HyltonMumbai IndiansShogunAlexander the GreatViral videoThe Acolyte (TV series)Ronna McDanielCultural RevolutionCordarrelle PattersonDesmostylusSelf Esteem (musician)Lisa Marie PresleyEurovision Song Contest 2024Bad Boys (franchise)96th Academy AwardsPrince Harry, Duke of SussexAnna SawaiDaniel James (footballer)Steven Spielberg🡆 More