Digestive system · Head and neck
Lower right canine !
The lower right canine (tooth 43) is the pointed tooth at the corner of the mouth; it grips and tears food.
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What it is
The corner tooth: one pointed cusp and a long root, a little shorter than the upper canine's.
What it does
Grips and tears food, and guides the jaw when it slides sideways.
Key facts
- Joints with
- Alveolar socket of the mandible (gomphosis held by the periodontal ligament); bites against the opposing teeth
- Landmarks
- FDI 43, lower right canine: 1 root; single pointed cusp; root shorter than the upper canine's; erupts at about 9–10 years; nerve: inferior alveolar nerve (V3)
Relations
- Medial
- The lower right lateral incisor
- Lateral
- The lower right first premolar
- Above
- Meets the upper right lateral incisor and the upper right canine
- In front
- Corner of the lower lip
How to find it
The pointed tooth at the right corner of the lower arch, third from the midline; it is the tooth the upper canine slides over when the jaw moves to the right.
On imaging
Periapical films show its long root and, with an angled beam, a split into labial and lingual roots when present; they also show how much bone remains before it is used to support a denture.
Clinical notes
- Supplied by the incisive nerve (inferior alveolar nerve, V3); a mental (incisive) block or infiltration numbs it, and so does an inferior alveolar nerve block
- Guides the jaw in sideways movements together with the upper canine, sparing the back teeth from side loads
- After orthodontic treatment a thin retainer wire is often bonded behind the lower front teeth from canine to canine to keep them aligned
Anatomical variants
- Rarely, an impacted lower canine travels across the midline under the incisors (transmigration), which is reported almost only for lower canines
Development
Replaces the primary lower right canine (FDI 83); in the lower arch the canine erupts before the premolars, the reverse of the upper arch.
Test yourself
Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.
Why is the lower right canine often kept to support a partial denture?
Its long root and strong bone make it one of the last teeth to be lost.
What is canine guidance?
In sideways jaw movements the upper canine slides along the lower canine, such as the lower right canine, sparing the back teeth from side loads.
How does the eruption order of the lower right canine differ from the upper canine?
The lower canine erupts before the premolars; the upper canine erupts after them.
When does the lower right canine usually erupt compared with the upper canine?
At about 9–10 years, around two years earlier than the upper canine.
Educational information, not medical advice. For any symptom, see a health professional.
Related
Sources: Anatomy, Head and Neck, Teeth; Anatomy, Permanent Dentition; Anatomy, Head and Neck, Tooth Eruption; Anatomy, Head and Neck: Alveolar Nerve; 23.3 The Mouth, Pharynx, and Esophagus (OpenStax (Rice University), 2022) · adapted, CC BY 4.0.
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Representative model, for educational purposes only.
