Topics

Topic

design image
Inferior canine tooth

The inferior canine tooth, also known as the mandibular canine, is a single-rooted, pointed tooth located between the lateral incisor and first premolar in the mandibular arch. It is the longest tooth in the mandibular dentition, designed for tearing and holding food. The crown is conical with a single cusp, and the root is long, thick, and usually straight, providing strong anchorage in the alveolar bone. The inferior canine plays a critical role in guiding occlusion during lateral jaw movements (canine guidance) and contributes significantly to facial aesthetics by maintaining the shape of the lower lip and smile line.

Synonyms

  • Mandibular canine

  • Lower canine

  • Cuspid tooth

  • Tooth #22/27 (universal numbering)

Function

  • Tearing and grasping food due to its pointed cusp

  • Provides canine guidance during lateral jaw movements

  • Maintains vertical dimension of the face and lower lip support

  • Supports alveolar bone and adjacent teeth

  • Serves as an important landmark in orthodontic treatment and prosthodontics

MRI Appearance
T1-weighted images:

  • Crown enamel appears hypointense, root dentin shows intermediate signal intensity

  • Surrounding periodontal ligament is thin and slightly hyperintense

  • Alveolar bone appears low signal, contrasting with soft tissue

  • Pulp chamber appears intermediate signal, enhancing visualization of pulp morphology

T2-weighted images:

  • Enamel remains low signal, dentin slightly higher

  • Pulp chamber appears hyperintense, highlighting the internal structure

  • Useful for detecting pulp pathology, periapical lesions, or root abnormalities

STIR (Short Tau Inversion Recovery):

  • Suppresses surrounding fat signal

  • Edema or inflammatory changes in periodontal ligament, alveolar bone, or periapical tissues appear hyperintense

  • Normal pulp and dentin remain low-to-intermediate signal

CT Appearance

  • Tooth appears as a hyperdense structure, with enamel being the densest

  • Root and alveolar bone are slightly less dense than enamel but clearly distinguishable

  • Pulp chamber may appear hypodense relative to dentin

  • Surrounding air in the oral cavity appears hypodense, providing natural contrast

  • CT is particularly useful for detecting fractures, periapical pathology, impaction, or root morphology

MRI images