Hygiene Atlas

Atlas · Plate II · Dental Anatomy and Tooth Morphology · 08

Primary dentition

Primary teeth have whiter, thinner enamel (about 1 mm), a pronounced cervical ridge and large pulps with high pulp horns. Primary molar roots are thin and flare wide to make room for the premolars forming beneath them. Each primary second molar resembles the permanent first molar of the same arch, and primate spaces next to the canines are normal.

High-yield facts · 7

  1. Primary teeth have whiter, thinner enamel (about 1 mm), a pronounced cervical ridge, and larger pulps with high horns.S43
  2. Primary molar roots are thin and flare widely to make room for the premolar crowns.S43
  3. The primary maxillary second molar resembles the permanent maxillary first molar.S43
  4. The primary mandibular second molar resembles the permanent mandibular first molar (3 nearly equal buccal cusps).S43
  5. The primary mandibular first molar is unique, with a prominent mesial cervical ridge.S43
  6. Primate spaces: mesial to the maxillary primary canines and distal to the mandibular primary canines.S43
  7. Leeway space: primary canine + first + second molars are larger than permanent canine + premolars (about 1.7 mm per side maxillary, 2.5 mm mandibular, commonly cited).T6

Facts are written in our own words; each tag links to its source. Values marked "sources vary" differ between references, so check the one your program uses.