MORPHOLOGY

OF
PERMANENT
INCISORS

Dental Anatomy &

Occlusion Dent
202
 The permanent incisors
▪ Eruption sequence
• 41/31, 11/21, 42/32, 12/22
▪ Functions
• Cutting
• Esthetics
• Speech
▪ Class traits
• Incisal 2/3 flattened
MD & compressed LL
• Long horizontal
MD biting edge
• 2 or more mamelons
• Marginal ridges
parallel to long
axis
The permanent maxillary incisors
▪ Arch traits
• Crown
• Wider MD
• Smaller height / width proportion
• Greater MD / LL proportion
• Root
• Greater MD / LL proportion
• Conical root in central incisors
▪ Type traits
• Size
• Height / width proportion
in crown
• MD / LL proportion
in crown and root
 The permanent maxillary central incisors
▪ Labial aspect
• The widest MD of all incisors – type trait
• 3 mamelons
• Middle is the smallest in width
• Mesial has a raised shoulder
• Distal has a low shoulder
• 2 labial lobe grooves
• 90º mesioincisal line angle – type trait
• Rounded distoincisal line angle
• Mesial contour straight, distal is somewhat
rounded and both converge cervically
• Mesial height of contour (contact point) within incisal third
• Distal HOC at junction between incisal & middle thirds
• CEJ convex cervically
• Root is conical & inclined distally
The permanent maxillary central incisors

▪ Lingual aspect
• Scoop-like surface
• Lingual fossa bordered by (all more prominent in max.)
• Mesial & distal marginal ridges
• Cingulum
• CEJ more convex than labial& summit toward distal
• Root is narrower seen from lingual
▪ Mesial aspect
• Chisel-shaped
• Labial HOC in the cervical third
• CEJ curved incisally (the most pronounced) – type trait
• Incisal edge coincides with long axis
• Root is conical
 The permanent maxillary central incisors
▪ Distal aspect
• CEJ is less curved than seen from mesial
▪ Incisal aspect
• Triangular outline
• Labial outline is slightly convex
• Meets M+L outlines at sharp line angles
• Mesial outline is longer than distal
• Labial lobe grooves
▪ Pulp
• Mirrors the external configuration
• Widest LL diameter at CEJ
• Line of division between pulp
chamber & canal is not marked
• Most incisally, pulp chamber is thin
LL with 2 horns
• Pulp canal is conical
Maxillary central incisor
The permanent maxillary lateral incisors
▪ Labial aspect
• Narrower MD & shorter IC – type trait
• Root is of same length
• More rounded in general
• MI angle
• DI angle more rounded
• M & D outlines
• HOCs are farther from incisal edge
• Mesial HOC is between middle & incisal thrids
• Distal HOC is at the center of middle third
• Root is conical and slightly inclined distally
▪ Lingual aspect
• Marginal ridges & cingulum are more pronounced
• Lingual fossa is deeper
• Developmental groove and pit?
The permanent maxillary lateral incisors

▪ Mesial aspect
• Cingulum more convex
• CEJ less curved
▪ Distal aspect
▪ Incisal aspect
• Ovoid outline
• Smaller MD than central
• Labial outline is rounded
• ML & DL line angles are more rounded
▪ Pulp
• Similar to central
Maxillary lateral incisor
The permanent mandibular
incisors
▪ Arch traits
• Crown
• Narrower MD
• Greater height / width proportion
• Smaller MD / LL proportion
• Root
• Smaller MD / LL proportion
• Generally oblong in x-section
▪ Type traits (arch trait)
• Nearly equal in size &
dimensions
The permanent mandibular central incisors
▪ Labial aspect
• The narrowest MD of all incisors
• Bilaterally symmetrical (type trait)
• 3 mamelons
• Mesail and distal mamelons are of equal prominence
• 90 º MI & DI angles and are at same level IC (type traits)
• Both HOCs are within the incisal third
• M & D outlines are almost straight lines
• CEJ convex cervically
• Root is narrow but not conical
▪ Lingual aspect
• Shallow fossa & less prominent cingulum
& marginal ridges
• CEJ summit in the center
 The permanent mandibular central incisors
▪ Mesial aspect
• Labial HOC within cervical third
• From HOC toward incisal edge labial
outline is straight
• Root
• Broad & flat
• A shallow depression in the midportion
• Ovoid in x-section
▪ Distal aspect
• CEJ is less curved
▪ Incisal aspect
• Triangular
• Labial surface is flat compared to max. incisors
• Seldom labial lobe groove
• Long axis of incisal edge is perpendicular to
LL line (type trait)
• Mesial outline = distal outline in length
▪ Pulp
• Broad LL and narrow MD
Mandibular central incisor
The permanent mandibular lateral incisors

▪ Labial surface
• Slightly wider than central
• Lack of bilateral symmetry
• MI angle is sharp while DI angle is
rounded & more cervically situated
▪ Lingual & mesial aspects
• Nearly identical to that of central
▪ Distal aspect
• More of the incisal edge is visible
• CEJ is less pronounced
▪ Incisal aspect
• Incisal edge is not perpendicular to LL line
• DI angle is more toward lingual
▪ Pulp
• Similar to that of central
Mandibular lateral incisor
Incisal relationship
▪ Class I
▪ Class II
▪ Class III
▪ Overjet
▪ Reverse
overjet
▪ Overbite