human Humans (''Homo sapiens'') or modern humans are the most common and widespread species of primate, and the last surviving species of the genus ''Homo''. They are Hominidae, great apes characterized by their Prehistory of nakedness and clothing ...

dentistry Dentistry, also known as dental medicine and oral medicine, is the branch of medicine focused on the Human tooth, teeth, gums, and Human mouth, mouth. It consists of the study, diagnosis, prevention, management, and treatment of diseases, dis ...

, the maxillary canine is the

tooth A tooth (: teeth) is a hard, calcified structure found in the jaws (or mouths) of many vertebrates and used to break down food. Some animals, particularly carnivores and omnivores, also use teeth to help with capturing or wounding prey, tea ...

located laterally (away from the midline of the

face The face is the front of the head that features the eyes, nose and mouth, and through which animals express many of their emotions. The face is crucial for human identity, and damage such as scarring or developmental deformities may affect th ...

) from both

maxillary lateral incisor The maxillary lateral incisors are a pair of upper (maxillary) teeth that are located laterally (away from the midline of the face) from both maxillary central incisors of the mouth and medially (toward the midline of the face) from both maxillar ...

s of the

mouth A mouth also referred to as the oral is the body orifice through which many animals ingest food and animal communication#Auditory, vocalize. The body cavity immediately behind the mouth opening, known as the oral cavity (or in Latin), is also t ...

but mesial (toward the midline of the face) from both

maxillary first premolar The maxillary first premolar is one of two premolars that exist in the maxilla. Premolars are only found in the adult dentition and typically erupt at the age of 10–11, replacing the first molars in primary dentition. The maxillary first premola ...

s. Both the maxillary and mandibular canines are called the "cornerstone" of the mouth because they are all located three teeth away from the midline, and separate the premolars from the

incisor Incisors (from Latin ''incidere'', "to cut") are the front teeth present in most mammals. They are located in the premaxilla above and on the mandible below. Humans have a total of eight (two on each side, top and bottom). Opossums have 18, wher ...

s. The location of the canines reflects their dual function as they complement both the premolars and incisors during

mastication Chewing or mastication is the process by which food is comminution, crushed and ground by the teeth. It is the first step in the process of digestion, allowing a greater surface area for digestive enzymes to break down the foods. During the mast ...

, commonly known as chewing. Nonetheless, the most common action of the canines is tearing of food. The canines often erupt in the upper gums several millimeters above the gum line. The canine teeth are able to withstand the tremendous lateral pressure caused by chewing. There is a single

cusp A cusp is the most pointed end of a curve. It often refers to cusp (anatomy), a pointed structure on a tooth. Cusp or CUSP may also refer to: Mathematics * Cusp (singularity), a singular point of a curve * Cusp catastrophe, a branch of bifu ...

on canines, and they resemble the

prehensile Prehensility is the quality of an appendage or organ that has adapted for grasping or holding. The word is derived from the Latin term ''prehendere'', meaning "to grasp". The ability to grasp is likely derived from a number of different origin ...

teeth found in carnivorous animals such as the extinct saber-toothed cat. Though relatively the same, there are some minor differences between the

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and botany, the term deciduous () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed Leaf, leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, aft ...

(baby) maxillary canine and that of the permanent maxillary canine. It is the longest tooth in total length (from the root to the incisal edge) in the mouth. Canines are also the only anterior teeth with a cusp. Maxillary canines begin to calcify by 4 months of age. The enamel of the tooth is completely formed by around 6 to 7 years of age and the permanent maxillary canines erupt at around 11 to 12 years of age. The root is completely formed by 13 to 15 years of age. The maxillary canine teeth are slightly wider than the mandibular canine teeth. The maxillary canines have one root, usually the longest root of any tooth in the mouth.

Notation

In the '' universal system of notation'', the deciduous maxillary canines are designated by a letter written in uppercase. The right deciduous maxillary canine is known as "C" and the left one "H". In '' international notation'', the right deciduous maxillary canine is known as "53" and the left one "63". In the universal system of notation, the permanent maxillary canines are referred to by numbers. The right permanent maxillary canine is known as "6" and the left "11". In the

Palmer notation Palmer notation (sometimes called the "Military System" and named for 19th-century American dentist Dr. Corydon Palmer from Warren, Ohio) is a dental notation (tooth numbering system). Despite the adoption of the FDI World Dental Federation notati ...

, a number is used in conjunction with a symbol designating in which quadrant the tooth is found. For this tooth, the left and right canines would have the same number, "3", but the right is designated with the symbol "┘" under the number, and the left one likewise with "└". The international notation has a different numbering system from the other two, and the right permanent maxillary canine is known as "13" and the left "23".

References

* Ash, Major M. and Stanley J. Nelson, 2003. ''Wheeler’s Dental Anatomy, Physiology, and Occlusion.'' 8th edition. Brand, Richard W. and Isselhard, Donald E., 2003. "Anatomy of Orofacial Structures." 7th edition {{Tooth anatomy Types of teeth Human mouth anatomy de:Eckzahn