Learning the teeth names makes it much easier to understand dental charts, X-rays, treatment plans, and conversations with your dentist.
From front incisors and pointed canines to premolars and wisdom teeth, every tooth has a specific name, position, and job.
This guide explains the major tooth names, their locations, functions, numbering systems, baby teeth, permanent teeth, and useful dental vocabulary in simple language.
Teeth Names for the Four Main Types
The four primary categories of human teeth are incisors, canines, premolars, and molars, each designed for a different role in eating.
- Central incisor — front cutting tooth.
- Lateral incisor — beside the central incisor.
- Canine — pointed tearing tooth.
- First premolar — transitional chewing tooth.
- Second premolar — rear transitional tooth.
- First molar — major grinding tooth.
- Second molar — secondary grinding tooth.
- Third molar — commonly called wisdom tooth.
- Upper central incisor — maxillary front cutter.
- Lower central incisor — mandibular front cutter.
- Upper lateral incisor — maxillary side cutter.
- Lower lateral incisor — mandibular side cutter.
- Upper canine — maxillary pointed tooth.
- Lower canine — mandibular pointed tooth.
- Posterior molar — backmost grinding category.
Teeth Names Found in the Upper Jaw
The upper jaw, called the maxilla, contains incisors, canines, premolars, and molars arranged symmetrically on both sides.
- Maxillary right central incisor.
- Maxillary left central incisor.
- Maxillary right lateral incisor.
- Maxillary left lateral incisor.
- Maxillary right canine.
- Maxillary left canine.
- Maxillary right first premolar.
- Maxillary left first premolar.
- Maxillary right second premolar.
- Maxillary left second premolar.
- Maxillary right first molar.
- Maxillary left first molar.
- Maxillary right second molar.
- Maxillary left second molar.
- Maxillary left third molar.
Teeth Names Located in the Lower Jaw
The lower jaw, or mandible, carries the mandibular teeth. Their names mirror the upper teeth but identify the lower dental arch.
- Mandibular right central incisor.
- Mandibular left central incisor.
- Mandibular right lateral incisor.
- Mandibular left lateral incisor.
- Mandibular right canine.
- Mandibular left canine.
- Mandibular right first premolar.
- Mandibular left first premolar.
- Mandibular right second premolar.
- Mandibular left second premolar.
- Mandibular right first molar.
- Mandibular left first molar.
- Mandibular right second molar.
- Mandibular left second molar.
- Mandibular right third molar.
Teeth Names for the Front Teeth
Front teeth are generally described as anterior teeth. Incisors primarily cut food, while canines help with tearing and gripping.
- Upper right central incisor.
- Upper left central incisor.
- Lower right central incisor.
- Lower left central incisor.
- Upper right lateral incisor.
- Upper left lateral incisor.
- Lower right lateral incisor.
- Lower left lateral incisor.
- Right maxillary canine.
- Left maxillary canine.
- Right mandibular canine.
- Left mandibular canine.
- Maxillary anterior teeth.
- Mandibular anterior teeth.
- Anterior incisor group.
Teeth Names for the Back Teeth
Posterior teeth sit behind the canines and include premolars and molars. Their broad surfaces are especially important for crushing and grinding food.
- Upper right first premolar.
- Upper left first premolar.
- Lower right first premolar.
- Lower left first premolar.
- Upper right second premolar.
- Upper left second premolar.
- Lower right second premolar.
- Lower left second premolar.
- Upper right first molar.
- Upper left first molar.
- Lower right first molar.
- Lower left first molar.
- Upper right second molar.
- Lower left second molar.
- Posterior chewing teeth.
Teeth Names for Permanent Adult Teeth
A complete permanent dentition normally contains 32 teeth, although wisdom teeth may be absent or never erupt.
- Permanent central incisor.
- Permanent lateral incisor.
- Permanent maxillary canine.
- Permanent mandibular canine.
- Permanent first premolar.
- Permanent second premolar.
- Permanent first molar.
- Permanent second molar.
- Permanent third molar.
- Upper permanent incisor.
- Lower permanent incisor.
- Upper permanent canine.
- Lower permanent canine.
- Upper permanent premolar.
- Lower permanent molar.
Teeth Names for Baby or Primary Teeth
Children develop 20 primary teeth: ten in the upper jaw and ten in the lower jaw. These eventually make way for permanent successors.
- Primary central incisor.
- Primary lateral incisor.
- Primary canine.
- Primary first molar.
- Primary second molar.
- Upper primary central incisor.
- Lower primary central incisor.
- Upper primary lateral incisor.
- Lower primary lateral incisor.
- Upper primary canine.
- Lower primary canine.
- Upper primary first molar.
- Lower primary first molar.
- Upper primary second molar.
- Lower primary second molar.
Teeth Names Based on Tooth Numbering
Dental professionals use numbering systems to identify individual teeth efficiently. The Universal system uses numbers for permanent teeth and letters for primary teeth.
- Universal tooth 1 — upper right third molar.
- Universal tooth 2 — upper right second molar.
- Universal tooth 3 — upper right first molar.
- Universal tooth 4 — upper right second premolar.
- Universal tooth 5 — upper right first premolar.
- Universal tooth 6 — upper right canine.
- Universal tooth 7 — upper right lateral incisor.
- Universal tooth 8 — upper right central incisor.
- Universal tooth 9 — upper left central incisor.
- Universal tooth 10 — upper left lateral incisor.
- Universal tooth 11 — upper left canine.
- Universal tooth 12 — upper left first premolar.
- Universal tooth 13 — upper left second premolar.
- Universal tooth 14 — upper left first molar.
- Universal tooth 15 — upper left second molar.
Teeth Names Using the FDI Numbering System
The FDI system identifies permanent teeth with two digits: the first identifies the quadrant and the second identifies the tooth’s position.
- FDI 11 — upper right central incisor.
- FDI 12 — upper right lateral incisor.
- FDI 13 — upper right canine.
- FDI 14 — upper right first premolar.
- FDI 15 — upper right second premolar.
- FDI 16 — upper right first molar.
- FDI 17 — upper right second molar.
- FDI 18 — upper right third molar.
- FDI 21 — upper left central incisor.
- FDI 22 — upper left lateral incisor.
- FDI 23 — upper left canine.
- FDI 24 — upper left first premolar.
- FDI 25 — upper left second premolar.
- FDI 26 — upper left first molar.
- FDI 27 — upper left second molar.
Teeth Names That Explain Their Main Functions
Tooth shape is closely related to function: incisors cut, canines tear, and posterior teeth assist with grinding and chewing.
- Cutting incisor — slices food.
- Biting incisor — starts the bite.
- Central incisor — handles front cutting.
- Lateral incisor — supports cutting.
- Gripping canine — holds food.
- Tearing canine — helps tear food.
- Pointed canine — penetrates tougher foods.
- First premolar — assists tearing and grinding.
- Second premolar — supports crushing.
- First molar — performs heavy grinding.
- Second molar — continues grinding.
- Third molar — posterior chewing tooth.
- Chewing premolar — intermediate function.
- Grinding molar — broad chewing function.
- Posterior chewing group — processes food.
Teeth Names Based on Location and Direction
Dental descriptions frequently combine a tooth type with its position, side, arch, or relationship to neighboring teeth. This makes clinical identification more precise.
- Right maxillary tooth — upper-right location.
- Left maxillary tooth — upper-left location.
- Right mandibular tooth — lower-right location.
- Left mandibular tooth — lower-left location.
- Maxillary anterior tooth — upper-front location.
- Mandibular anterior tooth — lower-front location.
- Maxillary posterior tooth — upper-back location.
- Mandibular posterior tooth — lower-back location.
- Mesial tooth position — toward the midline.
- Distal tooth position — away from the midline.
- Anterior dental segment — front tooth region.
- Posterior dental segment — back tooth region.
- Upper dental arch — maxillary tooth arrangement.
- Lower dental arch — mandibular tooth arrangement.
- Opposing tooth — tooth contacting its counterpart.
Teeth Names for Parts of an Individual Tooth
Besides identifying the tooth itself, dentists describe its major anatomical structures, including crown, root, enamel, dentin, and pulp.
- Anatomical crown — enamel-covered crown portion.
- Clinical crown — visible portion of tooth.
- Tooth root — anchors the tooth.
- Root apex — terminal root tip.
- Tooth neck — crown-root transition.
- Enamel — outer hard covering.
- Dentin — bulk underlying enamel.
- Dental pulp — inner living tissue.
- Pulp chamber — central crown space.
- Root canal — pulp-containing root passage.
- Cementum — root covering tissue.
- Periodontal ligament — tooth-supporting attachment.
- Alveolar socket — bony tooth housing.
- Incisal edge — biting edge of incisors.
- Occlusal surface — chewing surface of posterior teeth.
Teeth Names for Common Dental Chart Terms
Dental charts combine tooth names with anatomical descriptions, allowing clinicians to communicate quickly about specific areas, surfaces, and conditions.
- Incisal surface — cutting edge region.
- Occlusal surface — posterior chewing area.
- Facial surface — outward-facing tooth surface.
- Labial surface — outward-facing front-tooth surface.
- Buccal surface — cheek-facing posterior surface.
- Lingual surface — tongue-facing surface.
- Palatal surface — palate-facing upper surface.
- Mesial surface — surface toward midline.
- Distal surface — surface away from midline.
- Interproximal area — space between neighboring teeth.
- Contact point — neighboring tooth contact area.
- Gingival margin — gumline around tooth.
- Cervical region — area near gumline.
- Proximal surface — mesial or distal side.
- Masticatory surface — functional chewing area.
Teeth Names Associated With Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth are the third molars, located at the back of each quadrant. They commonly erupt during late adolescence or early adulthood, although timing varies.
- Upper right wisdom tooth.
- Upper left wisdom tooth.
- Lower right wisdom tooth.
- Lower left wisdom tooth.
- Maxillary third molar.
- Mandibular third molar.
- Right upper third molar.
- Left upper third molar.
- Right lower third molar.
- Left lower third molar.
- Erupted third molar.
- Impacted third molar.
- Partially erupted third molar.
- Unerupted third molar.
- Wisdom-tooth group.
Teeth Names and Eruption Stages
Tooth names also become easier to understand when connected with eruption. Primary teeth generally appear first, followed by permanent teeth during childhood and adolescence.
- First primary incisor — early erupting tooth.
- Second primary incisor — neighboring front tooth.
- Primary canine — later primary front tooth.
- Primary first molar — early chewing tooth.
- Primary second molar — rearmost baby molar.
- First permanent molar — commonly erupts around age six.
- Permanent central incisor — early permanent front tooth.
- Permanent lateral incisor — follows central incisor.
- Permanent first premolar — replaces primary molar.
- Permanent second premolar — replaces another primary molar.
- Permanent canine — important front tooth.
- Permanent second molar — later posterior tooth.
- Permanent third molar — latest common permanent tooth.
- Mixed-dentition tooth — present during transition.
- Exfoliating primary tooth — baby tooth being shed.
Teeth Names You Should Know for Dental Visits
Knowing basic teeth names can make dental conversations easier, especially when a dentist discusses a cavity, filling, extraction, crown, or X-ray finding.
- Central incisor — front-center tooth.
- Lateral incisor — front-side tooth.
- Canine — pointed front tooth.
- First premolar — first bicuspid.
- Second premolar — second bicuspid.
- First molar — first major grinder.
- Second molar — second major grinder.
- Third molar — wisdom tooth.
- Maxillary tooth — upper-jaw tooth.
- Mandibular tooth — lower-jaw tooth.
- Anterior tooth — front-region tooth.
- Posterior tooth — back-region tooth.
- Primary tooth — baby tooth.
- Permanent tooth — adult tooth.
- Missing tooth — absent tooth position.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the four main types of teeth?
The four main types are incisors, canines, premolars, and molars. They differ in shape and function.
2. How many teeth does an adult normally have?
A complete permanent dentition has 32 teeth, including four third molars. However, some people naturally have fewer, particularly if wisdom teeth never develop or erupt.
3. How many baby teeth do children have?
Children normally develop 20 primary teeth, with 10 in the upper jaw and 10 in the lower jaw.
4. What are the front teeth called?
The front teeth include the central incisors, lateral incisors, and canines. Incisors are primarily used for cutting, while canines assist with gripping and tearing.
5. What are the back teeth called?
The back teeth are mainly premolars and molars. They have broader surfaces suited to crushing and grinding food.
6. What is another name for a canine tooth?
A canine is also called a cuspid. The term is commonly used in dental terminology and tooth charts.
7. What is another name for a premolar?
A premolar is also commonly called a bicuspid, although the exact number and shape of cusps can vary.
8. Why do dentists use tooth numbers?
Numbering gives dental professionals a standardized way to identify individual teeth. The United States commonly uses the Universal system, while the FDI system is widely used internationally.
Conclusion
Understanding teeth names becomes much simpler when you organize them by type, location, function, age, and numbering system.
Incisors handle cutting, canines help grip and tear, premolars bridge cutting and grinding functions, and molars perform much of the heavy chewing work.
For everyday dental conversations, the most important names to remember are central incisor, lateral incisor, canine, first premolar, second premolar, first molar, second molar, and third molar.
Knowing whether a tooth is maxillary or mandibular, anterior or posterior, primary or permanent can make dental charts and treatment explanations considerably easier to understand.
