Question

Explain the dental formula of human beings.

Answer 1

DENTAL FORMULA OF HUMAN BEINGS

OR

DIFFERENT TYPES OF TEETH AND THEIR NUMBER IN AN ADULT HUMAN

• All human teeth are not of the same types that are known as heterodont teeth.
• There are four different types of teeth. Those are incisors, canine, premolar and molar.
• Incisor teeth are shovel-shaped, used in nibbling, cutting and tearing.
• Canine teeth are very sharper and pointed compare to other teeth, used for tearing and shearing.
• Premolar and Molar teeth are used for chewing and grinding, possessing a border surface.
• There are two different types of teeth develop in human: milk teeth those are childhood teeth, having the number of 20 in a child of 5 years age, which are replaced by permanent teeth. This type of dental development is called as Diphyodont.
• The total number of teeth is 32 and is represented by the below dental formula:

I: 2/2; C: 1/1; PM: 2/2; M: 3/3

Where,

1. I = Incisor teeth
2. C = Canine teeth
3. PM = Premolar teeth
4. M = Molar teeth