Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Types of Teeth and Their Functions

Most of us know how important it is to look after our teeth, but how many of you know what the different types and their functions are? As humans, we have 32 permanent teeth (including wisdom teeth) and a total of 20 primary teeth. These choppers just don’t help us bite and chew, they play an important role in speaking and support many aspects of our facial structure.


Our staff at The Oyster Bay Family Dentists thought it would be neat to inform you about the four main tooth types in the mouth and their responsibilities. We’d also like to remind you to take care of them by brushing and flossing on a daily basis!



  • Incisors – located at the front of the mouth, these teeth have a sharp biting surface and are used for cutting or shearing food into small chewable pieces.

  • Canines – located at the ‘corners’ of the dental arches, these teeth have a sharp pointed biting surface. Their function is to grip and tear food.

  • Premolars – Unlike incisors and canines, these teeth have a flat biting surface. Their function is to tear and crush food.

  • Molars – The molars are the largest teeth in the mouth and they too have a large flat biting surface. The function of these is perhaps the strongest of all as they chew, crush, and grind food.


If you have questions about your pearly whites, don’t hesitate to give us a call. To learn more about dental hygiene as well as the services we provide at the practice, visit www.oysterbaydentists.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at The Oyster Bay Family Dentists in Oyster Bay, NY, call 516-922-5730.

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