Maxillary Canine: Key Points

General Overview

• Position in Mouth: 3rd tooth from midline
• Tooth Numbering Systems:
  • FDI: 13 and 23
  • Universal: 6 and 11
  • Zygmondy Palmar: 3 with quadrant brackets
• Etymology: Derived from Latin 'Canis' meaning dog
• Aliases: Cuspid, cornertooth, eyetooth
• Main Function: Tearing
• Role in Occlusion:
  • Canine guidance (aligns jaw for correct occlusion)
• Longevity: Last to fall out due to longest root and self-cleansing properties

Importance in Aesthetics

• Support: Corners of the mouth
• Impact of Absence: Lips droop, aged appearance
• Anatomical Features:
  • Canine eminence (root protuberance)
  • Canine fossa (slight posterior concavity)

Development and Eruption

• Common Impactions: Second most common after 3rd molars
• Developmental Lobes:
  • Mesial, labial, distal, lingual
• Eruption Age: 11-12 years

Measurements

• Cervico-incisal length: Crown 10mm, Root 17mm
• Mesio-distal length:
  • At contact area: 7.5mm
  • At cervix: 5.5mm
• Labio-lingual diameter:
  • At cingulum: 8mm
  • At cervix: 7mm
• Curvature of cervical line:
  • Mesial: 2.5mm
  • Distal: 1.5mm

Morphological Aspects

Labial Aspect

• Shape: Trapezoidal
• Cusp Tip: Midline
• Cuspal Slopes:
  • Mesial: Shorter
  • Distal: Longer
• Contact Areas:
  • Mesial: Junction of incisal & middle third (contacts lateral incisor)
  • Distal: Middle third (contacts 1st premolar)
• Surface Features:
  • Smooth, prominently convex
  • Labial ridge bends mesially in middle third
  • Slight concavity mesially and distally
• Root: Smooth, convex, tapering

Palatal Aspect

• Outline Similarities: Same as labial aspect
• Surface Differences: Presence of 5 ridges
  • Mesial & distal cuspal ridges
  • Mesial & distal marginal ridges
  • Lingual ridge
• Cingulum: Large convexity in cervical third
• Fossae: Mesial lingual and distal lingual (shallow concavities)

Mesial Aspect

• Shape: Triangular or wedge-shaped
• Cusp Tip: Slightly labial
• Surface Features:
  • Labial outline: Prominently convex
  • Lingual outline: Convex-concave-convex
  • Cervical line: Convex towards crown
• Root: Smooth, convex, tapering with mesial developmental depression

Distal Aspect

• Similarities: Almost same as mesial aspect
• Differences: Slightly deeper distal developmental depression

Incisal Aspect

• Root Visibility: None from incisal view
• Dimensions: Labiolingual dimension > Mesiodistal dimension
• Functional Adaptation: Bears more labial directional forces
• Convexities: Prominent labial convexity due to ridge
• Cusp Tip: Slightly labial and mesial to center