Types of Teeth

We want all the patients visiting Healthy Smiles Family Dental in Salem to understand how to best care for their teeth. To do that, they need to understand the different functions teeth serve and what kinds of problems they are likely to encounter.

Normally, thirty-two permanent teeth grow in an adult mouth, with sixteen in each jaw. Starting from the front of the mouth, we have two pairs of incisors per jaw. These are the first teeth to grow in when we are children and are the most important for forming speech. The top central ones are the teeth most likely to have a gap. On each side of the incisors is a single canine tooth, which is also called a cuspid or eye tooth. These teeth are for piercing food and occupy a position that is crucial for maintaining jaw stability. The upper ones are the most likely teeth besides the wisdom teeth to have difficulty erupting.

In the back of the mouth are the teeth used for chewing. They include, per jaw, two sets of premolars and three sets of molars. The molars are larger and have more roots; lower ones typically have two, while upper ones sometimes have three. The wisdom teeth are the ones furthest back and are the last to erupt.

Dr. Na Xu operates Healthy Smiles Family Dental at 2601 25^th St SE #400, Salem, Oregon, 97302. Visit My Family Dentist Salem or call 503-385-1185.