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  • Dr. Khuong Nguyen

What Are Molars?

Molars are the large, square teeth in the back of the mouth. They help us grind and chew food. In adult humans, there are 24 molars. The primary function of the molars is chewing food. There are many myths and misconceptions about molars, but knowing their purpose and function can help you better understand your oral health. Let's look at some of them. Listed below are some facts about molars.


Babies' molars grow slowly and eventually replace the milk teeth. Typically, the lower molars emerge first, followed by the upper ones. It is rare for this sequence to change; in fact, a child's first molars may not come in for another six months. But there are ways to help your child during this stage. First, you can help your child with their milk bite. At about 18 months of age, the first molar will come in. In about 19 months, the second molar will go in now.


Next, there are premolars and molars. While the former helps with biting, the latter is used for crushing and grinding. Both teeth develop and fall out throughout a lifetime, and the premolars typically remain in the same position until age 12. After that, the molars grow in and are the final teeth of the dentition. The mouth has a total of twelve molars. There is a fourth molar, but it is rudimentary and underdeveloped. The fourth molar is removed promptly.


Molars are large, flat teeth at the back of the mouth. They help with chewing and grinding food. An adult human has 24 of these molars. The maxillary molars have four well-developed cusps, and the mandibular molars have one buccal groove and two roots. Each of these teeth has a different function. Read on to learn more about the different types of molars.


Molars are the most prominent teeth in the mouth, and they help with chewing and speaking. These teeth are made of different materials, and they have specific names. Enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, while dentin is softer. Inside a tooth, the deepest layer is the pulp, which comprises nerves and blood vessels. The tooth root is made up of cementum located on the heart and beneath the gums.


The incisors of molars are the first set of molars present when you have a complete set of teeth. A complex process determines the shape of the incisors. During the process of eruption, the teeth develop into two parts. The upper and lower incisors are closely related in size and shape. Incisors of molars may grow at different ages and in other circumstances.


The incisors develop through grinding activity, with the subsequent eruption of the rest of the tooth. The enamel of the incisors is composed of two layers: the inner and the outer. The inner layer contains lamellar patterns that are parallel to one another. The outer layer includes bundles of crystallites called interred enamel. The incisors are also protected by cementum and enamel, with the latter covering the root.


The maxillary cuspids are the last front teeth to erupt, usually around 11-13 years. These teeth have single anchored roots but can cause problems with speech and biting. They are the second most common teeth to become impacted, next to the wisdom teeth. They can also erupt in an abnormal position, causing a disturbance to the occlusal work.


The cuspids are small, flat teeth located at the front corners of the mouth. These teeth are used to chew food. They're the third tooth from the center when you smile. They're the last of the front teeth to erupt and are used to guide the jaw as you grow. Cuspids help to keep your teeth in proper positions when you bite down on foods. In addition to their role as chewing tools, cuspids are called "eye teeth."


The linguistic aspect of the mandibular molar is more extreme than its buccal counterpart. In this aspect, the root trunk measures one millimeter longer than the buccal portion. This difference is caused by the fact that the cervical and cusp ridges are higher on the lingual side and are offset by one millimeter from the buccal line. The roots also appear longer than they are due to the slenderness of the lingual side.


The mandibular molar is composed of two roots, the mesiobuccally root exiting the crown in a medial direction. The distal source is narrower buccolingually and equal to the mesial root in length. There may be a single supernumerary distolingually root in the mandibular molar, which is rare, and there is also a five-rooted mandibular molar (Fig. 1.76).


The anatomy of the maxillary molars is very variable. For instance, a person's third molar may have only three roots, while another person's molar might have four or five. Therefore, to determine the number of sources in a tooth, dentists must carefully assess each tooth. Using SEM imaging, this researcher could study several molars' root structures and shapes.


In a study conducted in China, Gu et al. measured the angles between the buccal and palatal roots of the maxillary molars. They found that the maximum angle was not observed between these two structures but was 0.44 +/ 0.285 or at the mesiobuccally root of the right second molar. These researchers also examined the relationship between the maxillary sinus and the maxillary molars.

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