This document provides information about the anatomy and morphology of upper and lower canine teeth. It describes: - The functions of canines as mastication and aesthetics. - Developmental stages from crown completion to root completion. - Geometric outlines and surface anatomy features of the crowns and roots such as ridges, depressions, and outlines. - Differences between upper and lower canines including size, shape of cusp tips, and location of contact areas. - Internal anatomy of the pulp cavity and root canals.

2. Canines
Upper & Lower

3. Functions
Mastication (tearing ),
Esthetic
Speaking
Growth of the jaws.

4. Root
completed
EruptionCrown
completed
Beginning
of calc.
(month)
3
3 9
4-5m
11

5. Note: the middle lobe of the canine is well developed
Incisally
cusp
Labially
Labial ridge.
Lingually
Lingual ridge.
Number of lobes (four lobes 3 labially and 1 lingually).

6. For easy teeth description
We have to speak about :
• Geometric outline of the crown.
• Outlines of the crown and root.
• Surface anatomy of the crown and root
(anatomical landmarks).
Convex Concave

7. Labial Lingual Mesial Distal
Incisal
Upper canine has 5 aspects:

8. Labial Lingual Mesial
Distal
Incisal
Lower canine has 5 aspects:

9. Geometric outline of the crown
Facial and lingual aspects have
trapezoid out line.
Smallest uneven
side cervically.

10. Facial and Lingual Outlines of 3
It’s Trapezoid and formed of
Mesial outline:, convex till the contact
area (at the junction of I 1/3 and M 1/3)
then continues as concave till the cusp
tip.
Distal outline: concave till the contact
area (at the middle third) then continues
as convex till the cusp tip.
Cervical outline: convex root wise.

11. Upper 3 & Lower 3
• The crown is -short
-wide
-thick
• The crown is -longer
-narrower
-thinner
• *Mesially and distally the
crown bulge beyond the
root outline
• The cusp tip is long and
pointed
•
• Mesially the crown is at
one line with root outline
• *Distally the crown bulge
beyond the root outline
• The cusp tip is shorter
and flatter ( less pointed)
(D slope >M slope)
So their cusp tips is slightly mesial to the center of crown

12. Upper 3 & Lower 3
• MCA----- at the junction of
incisal and middle 1/3s
• DCA----- in the center of
middle 1/3
• So the contact areas are
located more cervically
• MCA---- in incisal1/3 near the
mesio-incisal angle
• DCA----- at the junction of
incisal and middle 1/3
• So the contact areas are
located more incisally
M
M
D
D

13. •It’s convex with maximum convixity at the
cervical ridge.
The labial ridge is
prominent in upper 3
Elevations:
Labial ridge
•IT is a prominent ridge runs from the tip of
the cusp toward the cervical margin
Labial aspect
The labial ridge is
less prominent in lower 3

14. Upper 3 & Lower 3
The root is -long
-slender
-conical
The root apex is pointed and
curved distally
The root is the same but shorter
The root apex is more pointed and
curved distally

15. Lingual aspect
Elevations:
•Marginal ridges, cingulum,
cingulum
•Prominent lingual ridge that extend from
the cusp tip till the cingulum in 3 while in
3 it’s restricted to the incisal third.
Depressions:
Lingual fossa that is divided into two
fossae in 3 but still one in 3.
3 3

16. Note:
•The elevations of the lower canine are not
well developed as in case of the upper.
•The lingual surfaces in both are smaller in size
than the labial surface due to the lingual
convergence which accommodate ……….

17. Apex of the
triangle
incisally.
Note: the cusp tip of 3
centralized on the long
axis or inclined labially.
while the 3 cusp tip
centralized or inclined
lingually.
Proximal aspects have triangular
outline
Geometric outline of the crown
The base
cervically.
Apex of the
triangle
incisally.

19. Mesial and distal Outlines of the crown
Labial outline is convex with the crest of
curvature at the cervical third
represent……
Lingual outline is convex cervically
represent...
In the incisal third it’s convex again represent……
In the middle it’s straight due to presence
of ridge ……..

20. Notes:
•Lingual outline in the middle of 3 is concave
rather than straight due to short lingual ridge.
Cervical outline: curved incisally however, this
curvature is less on the distal than the mesial.

21. The root surface is broad with longitudinal
depression.
The depression is shallower mesially than
distally of same tooth and is shallower in
upper canine than lower canine.

22. Note: the depression in lower canine may be so
deep causing bifurcation in the root. The
bifurcation may be apically or extend up to
cervical third.
If two roots exist they will be divided labially and
lingually.
labiallingual

24. Cingulum.
Mesial marginal
ridge.
Distal marginal
ridge
M.L.FD.L.F
M.I.Ridge
D.I.Ridge
Lingual ridge
Enumerate the names
of the following
elevations and
depressions?

25. Upper 3 & Lower 3
Geometric outline--- Diamond
(Lab-Ling > M-D )
The cusp tip is located
mesio-labially
The cusp tip is located
mesio-lingually

26. Incisal aspect.
Outline and surface anatomy
The thickness is greater than the
width. ( Diamond)
The elevations and depressions in the
labial and lingual surfaces appeared in
this aspect
3
3

27. Pulp cavity.
Pulp cavity is formed of:
Pulp chamber that present in the crown. Its
outline follows the outline of the crown.
In young teeth, it has pulp horn related to the cusp
Root canal presents in the root and follows
its outline. The number of root canals in
canines is only one.
Sometimes 3 has two root canals labially
and lingually. The canals open in one apical
foramen or separate foramina.