This document describes the anatomical features of lower canine teeth. It notes that lower canines have a narrower crown than upper canines, with variations including bifurcated roots. The crown outline is trapezoidal with mesiodistal dimensions less than upper canines. Contact areas are near the incisal angle mesially and distal junction of middle and incisal thirds distally. The root is shorter than upper canines by 1-2mm with a more sharply pointed apex. Lingual surfaces are flatter with a smooth, poorly developed cingulum and less distinct marginal ridges.

1. Dr Monika Negi
MDS Oral Pathology Microbiology and Forensic Odontology

2.  Crown is narrower than
Maxillary canine
 Variation: Bifurcated roots

5.  Crown outline is trapezoidal
 Mesiodistal dimensions less
than maxillary
 Crowns appears longer than
maxillary, higher contact areas
 Contact Areas:
 Mesial – incisal 3rd, just
below the incisal angle or near
the angle
 Distal – near junction of
middle and incisal 3rd

6.  Mesial crown outline nearly
straight
 Cusp angle is in line with the
center of the root; mesial cusp
ridge is shorter
 Crown slightly bent distally
 Root is shorter by 1 or 2 mm
than maxillary, apex more
sharply pointed

8.  Crown outline is
trapezoidal
 Flatter lingual surface,
cingulum is smooth and
poorly developed,
marginal ridges are less
distinct
 Lingual ridge raised at
the incisal 3rd only
 Root appears narrower
than labial aspect

11.  Crown outline is triangular
 Less pronounced cingulum
 Incisal portion is thinner
labiolingually, thus cusp appears
more pointed, cusp ridges more
slender
 Tip of cusp more nearly
centered over root
 Developmental depressions are
more pronounced and sometime
quite deep

12.  The labial outline: has less curvature
than that of upper canine with very
little crest of curvature directly above
the cervical line.•
 The lingual outline: is similar to that of
the upper canine, but differs in degree.
 The cingulum is not prominent.

15.  Same as mesial aspect, except:
 Less curvature of CEJ
 Less pronounced cingulum
 Less depressions on the root
surface

16.  The outline of lower canine from
the incisal aspect is often similar
 to that of upper canine except:
 The cusp tip is more likely to be
inclined lingually.
 The mesiolabial outline is more
convex while the distolabial outline
is flat or concave
 The distal cusp slope is directed
slightly lingually from the cusp tip
which gives the incisal part of the
crown a distolingual twist like
lower lateral incisor.

18. The root surface is
similar to that of the
upper canine from
the mesial aspect
except:
The root tip is
more pointed than
that of upper canine.
The developmental
depression mesially is
more pronounced
than that on upper
canine.

20. The shape of the crown
distally is similar to the
crown shape from the mesial
aspect, except that cervical
line has less curvature
toward the cusp tip.
THE ROOT• developmental
depression on the distal side
of the root is often deeper
than the depression on the
mesial side Mesial Distal