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# Upper left canine

The upper left canine (tooth 23) is the pointed eye tooth at the corner of the mouth; it has the longest root and grips and tears food.

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## What it is

The corner tooth: one pointed cusp and the longest root of all the teeth.

## What it does

Grips and tears food, and guides the jaw when it slides sideways.

## Key points

- After the third molars it is the tooth most often impacted, usually on the palatal side; it erupts after the premolars beside it and has the longest path to travel
- The canine eminence over its root shapes the corner of the mouth; losing this tooth flattens the lip there
- Root longer than any other tooth's, so it anchors firmly and is often among the last teeth kept in old age

## Key facts

**Joints with**
Alveolar socket of the [maxilla](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/maxilla/) (gomphosis held by the periodontal ligament); bites against the opposing teeth

**Landmarks**
FDI 23, upper left canine: 1 root, the longest of all teeth; single pointed cusp; the 'eye tooth', often impacted in the palate; erupts at about 11–12 years; nerve: anterior superior alveolar nerve (V2)

## Relations

**Medial**
The [upper left lateral incisor](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/upper-left-lateral-incisor/)

**Lateral**
The [upper left first premolar](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/upper-left-first-premolar/)

**In front**
Corner of the upper lip, with the canine eminence under the mucosa

**Below**
Meets the [lower left canine](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/lower-left-canine/) and the [lower left first premolar](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/lower-left-first-premolar/)

## How to find it

Third from the midline on the upper left, the pointed tooth at the bend of the arch; the root's ridge, the canine eminence, can be felt under the lip running toward the nose.

## On imaging

Panoramic radiographs show an impacted canine; cone-beam CT shows whether it lies on the palatal or the labial side and whether it is resorbing the incisor roots.

## Clinical notes

- Supplied by the anterior superior alveolar nerve (V2); the long root means the anaesthetic must reach higher in the vestibule than for the incisors
- An impacted canine can resorb the roots of the neighbouring lateral and central incisors without symptoms
- Its long, strong root makes it a valued support for bridges

## Development

Replaces the primary upper left canine (FDI 63). Its crown starts forming high in the maxilla, beside the nose, which explains its long and late path into the mouth.

## Memory aid

SLOB (Same Lingual, Opposite Buccal): between two films with the tube shifted, an impacted canine that follows the tube is palatal, one that goes the other way is buccal.

## Test yourself

Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.

## Which imaging shows whether an impacted upper left canine lies palatal or labial?

Cone-beam CT, which also shows whether it is resorbing the incisor roots.

## What silent complication can an impacted upper left canine cause?

Resorption of the roots of the neighbouring lateral and central incisors.

## Why must anaesthetic for the upper left canine reach higher in the vestibule than for the incisors?

Its root is the longest of all the teeth.

## Why is the upper left canine a good support for a bridge?

It has the longest root of any tooth, which anchors it firmly.

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Educational information, not medical advice. For any symptom, see a health professional.

## Related

- [Maxillae](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/maxilla/)

Sources: [Anatomy, Head and Neck, Teeth](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557543/); [Anatomy, Permanent Dentition](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK570590/); [Anatomy, Head and Neck, Tooth Eruption](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK549878/); [Anatomy, Head and Neck: Alveolar Nerve](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK546712/); [23.3 The Mouth, Pharynx, and Esophagus](https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology-2e/pages/23-3-the-mouth-pharynx-and-esophagus) (OpenStax (Rice University), 2022) · adapted, [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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Representative model, for educational purposes only.

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Source: https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/upper-left-canine/
License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Cite as: DurgiPedia (durgical.com), https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/upper-left-canine/