MORPHOLOGY

OF
PERMANENT CANINES

Oral Histology
Dent 201
Summer semester
2005/2006
The permanent canines
❧ Eruption sequence
● Lower before upper
❧ Function
❧ No type traits
❧ Class traits
● The most stable
● Longest & thickest roots LL
● Single conical cusp
● Only cusped teeth without
occlusal surface
● Support the arch and
facial musculature
❧ Arch traits
● Upper larger than lower
● Greater IC / MD proportion
in maxillary canine
The maxillary canine
❧ Labial aspects
● Cusp tip is on a line bisecting the tooth MD
● Incisal outline has 2 sloping ridges
• Mesial ridge sloping less markedly and shorter than distal
• MI angle is higher and more rounded than DI angle
● Mesial HOC is close to the incisal margin
● Distal HOC is at the middle portion of the crown
● Mesial outline is slightly convex
● Distal outline is markedly convex
● CEJ is slightly convex incisally
● Labial surface
• Labial ridge
• Slight depressions on either sides
● Root is long & narrow
 The maxillary canine
❧ Lingual aspect
● Crown & root narrower lingually
● Well-elevated marginal ridges (arch trait)
● Accentuated lingual cingulum – slightly
concave at midpoint (arch trait)
● Pronounced lingual ridge (arch trait)
● ML & DL fossae
● A lingual pit and/or developmental grooves
marking the inner boundaries of marginal ridges
❧ Mesial aspect
● Cusp tip labial to a line bisecting the tooth LL
● Thick cervical third
● HOC is between cervical and middle thirds
● From HOC outline is straight toward cusp tip
● Lingual outline starts cervically convex
then slightly concave then convex again
● HOC is close to cervical line
● Thick incisal ridge LL (arch trait)
● Root is wide with a slight longitudinal
concavity and blunt apex
The maxillary canine
❧ Distal aspect
● Deeper and longer longitudinal
concavity on the root
❧ Incisal aspect
● Asymmetry
• Distal half is wider & has a concavity
on the labial outline
• Mesial part of the labial outline is convex
● Prominent convexity of the cingulum
● 3 distinct lobes
❧ Pulp
● Double convex lens shape in LL section,
widest near cervix
● Narrow in MD section
Maxillary Canine
The mandibular canine
❧ Narrower MD and LL (arch trait)
❧ Smaller MD/IC proportion (arch trait)

Labial surface
● Cusp is not as long & pointed as in maxillary (arch trait)
● Mesial cusp ridge is high adjacent to cusp tip
● Distal cusp ridge is low
● Incisal outline = 1/4 to 1/5 IC height
● Mesial outline is straight while distal is convex
• Both converge slightly toward the cervix
● Mesial HOC is just below MI angle while
DI angle is between incisal & middle thirds
● 3 lobes & 2 depressions on the labial surface
● Root is conical with blunted root
• Mesial inclination from cervix to apex
• Crown appears tilted distally in relation to root long axis
The mandibular canine
❧ Lingual aspect
● Marginal ridges, lingual ridge
& cingulum are less prominent
● ML & DL are shallower
● Pits or grooves are rare
● Root narrower lingually than labially
● Distinct longitudinal depressions
extends down proximal surfaces
❧ Mesial aspect
● Cusp tip with long axis of the tooth
● Cervical third is narrower
● HOC is just above CL &
entire labial outline is convex
● Root is narrower
The mandibular canine
❧ Distal aspect
● Similar to mesial
❧ Incisal aspect
● M & D halves are more nearly symmetrical
● Lingual outline is less round
● Less bulky appearance of the incisal edge
● Vertical lobe grooves are less marked
❧ Pulp
● Similar to maxillary canine
 Canine relationship
❧ Class I
❧ Class II
❧ Class III