DENTITION

The jaws of primates are made of two bones: the maxilla and the mandible. Each bone contains a specific number and type of teeth.



Primates have four kinds of teeth in their mouths: incisors, canines, premolars, and molars. Incisors are located in the front of the mouth, and are used for nipping off pieces of food. Canine teeth are sharp and pointed. They are sometimes referred to as "eye-teeth". The primary function of canines is to puncture and rip off. Premolars are low wide teeth that are located behind the canines. Molars are the largest teeth found in the mouth and are located behind the premolars. Both molars and premolars are used for crushing and grinding food.

The number of teeth is different in different primates. Being able to count the different types of teeth can help you classify a primate.

The number and type of teeth found in the mouth of an animal are known as the dental formula. The dental formula is used to identify and classify primates. To determine the number of teeth in the mouth:

1) divide the mouth into quarter sections

2) identify each kind of tooth in that quarter

3) count how many of each kind of teeth there are in the quarter

4) multiply the number of teeth in that quarter of the mouth by four and you will have the number of teeth in the entire jaw

5) to put your answer into a dental formula, look again at the teeth in the quarter section you first counted. Write down how many incisors, canines, premolars, and molars are present. This is the dental formula.