Permanent Maxillary Canine

The Permanent Maxillary Canine is the pointed teeth. These teeth are the third teeth from the midline on each side of the maxillary dental arch. The canines are known as the cornerstone of dental arches. The canines are the most stable teeth in the dental arch because these teeth have the longest root. The canines have a tearing function.

Development and Emergence of Permanent Maxillary Canine

Following is a summary of the timeline of development and eruption of the permanent maxillary canine.

• Beginning of maxillary canine calcification: 3-4 months
• Completion of the maxillary canine crown: 6-7 years
• Eruption of permanent canine: 11-12 years
• Root completion of maxillary canine: 13- 15 years

Labial Aspect of Permanent Maxillary Canine

• The general crown form of the maxillary permanent canine is pentagonal (five sides and five angles).
• The permanent maxillary canine is in contact with the mesial surface with the permanent maxillary lateral incisor. The mesial contact area is at the junction of the middle and the incisal third.
• The maxillary canine on the distal surface is in contact with the maxillary first premolar. The distal contact area of the tooth is at the middle third of the crown.
• The crown and the root of the maxillary canine are narrow mesiodistally (1mm difference) as compared to the permanent maxillary central incisor.
• The cusp tip of the tooth is pointed and it is nearly on a line with the center of the root.
• The mesial outline of the maxillary canine is convex while the distal outline is slightly concave.
• The cervical line or the cementoenamel junction curvature is convex with curvature towards the root apex.
• The pointed cusp tip of the canine has two slopes those are the mesial cuspal slope and the distal cuspal slope.
• The mesial cuspal slope of the maxillary canine is shorter as compared to the distal cuspal slope.
• A prominent labial ridge is present that starts from the tip of the cusp and terminates to the cervical area of the crown. This prominent labial ridge is a result of the over development of the middle labial lobe of the canine.
• The maxillary canine has the longest root of any other tooth in the oral cavity.
• The root of the maxillary canine is conical with a bluntly pointed root apex.
• A slight curvature is present in the root of the maxillary canine in the apical third region usually towards the distal side.

Palatal Aspect

• The crown and the root both are narrow mesiodistally as compared to the labial aspect. Therefore, part of the mesial and distal surfaces of both crown and root are visible from the palatal aspect.
• The mesial and distal marginal ridges of the maxillary canine are very well developed.
• The cingulum is present at the cervical third of the crown and it is well developed. In some cases, the cingulum appears like a pointed cusp.
• The curvature of the cervical line is more on the palatal surface as compared to the labial surface.
• A linear elevation is present that extends from the cingulum to the tip of the maxillary canine and this ridge is refereed as a lingual ridge.
• This lingual ridge divides the lingual fossa into the two fossae that are named mesial and distal lingual fossae.

Mesial Aspect of Permanent Maxillary Canine

• The crown and the root have greater bulk and labiolingual measurement as compared to other anterior teeth.
• The maxillary crown outline from the mesial and distal aspect is wedge shape.
• The labial outline of the maxillary canine is more convex as compared to the other anterior teeth.
• The lingual outline of the crown is convex in the cervical area because of the cingulum and concave in the middle and incisal third.
• The root outline is conical with a bluntly pointed root apex. In the apical third region, the root may slightly curve towards the labial aspect.

Distal Aspect

• The curvature of the cervical line is towards the incisal aspect similar to that of the mesial surface. However, the extent of this curvature is less on the distal side as compared to the mesial curvature of the cervical line.
• The distal marginal ridge is heavier and irregular as compared to the mesial marginal ridge of the canine.
• A prominent developmental depression is present on the distal aspect of the root.

Incisal Aspect of Permanent Maxillary Canine

• • The crown outline of the permanent maxillary canine from the incisal surface is of diamond shape.
  • There is a greater labiolingual dimension as compared to the mesiodistal dimension.
  • The ridge of the middle labial lobe is noticeable from the incisal aspect of the canine.
  • The cingulum makes up the lingual third of the crown and is slightly offset towards the distal aspect.

Lecture of Permanent Maxillary Canine Morphology

Demonstration of Permanent Maxillary Canine Morphology on tooth models