Incisors are the eight teeth in the front of your mouth. These teeth are used to take bites of your food and are important for speech. In order to bite the incisors need to join together, but if the upper or lower incisors are too far back or forwards, one cannot do that. The relationship between the incisors the lips and tongue will determine the pronunciation of words. Many times when the conditions are not right it leads to lisping.

Canines are next in line at the corners of your mouth. These are your sharpest teeth and are used for cutting and tearing of food. To cut the food, these teeth need to join together like a pear of scissors. But if the jaws are not positioned in the correct relationship or the teeth are too crowded, the canines cannot join. Many times if the canines are not well positioned, it leads to severe wear of the incisors and joint problems.

Premolars can be used for food tearing and for chewing food. The premolars are among the last teeth to erupt, which makes it very difficult for them to find enough room in the mouth. If room is missing they will create crowding and make it difficult to clean the teeth.

Molars Molars are large and robust teeth used for food grinding. For Premolars and Molars to function well the cusps or pointed ends of the top teeth should fit perfectly between two teeth in the bottom. But if the upper arch is too narrow or too wide, the upper teeth “cross over” the lower ones in either direction, this condition is called a crossbite. When teeth are in a crossbite, chewing is very poor and can lead to indigestion.

If you suffer from a poor bite or if you would like more information about how teeth function, please ask Dr. Kaufman or schedule an appointment for a consultation.