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Topic

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Lateral superior incisor tooth

The lateral superior incisor is the second tooth from the midline in the maxillary anterior arch, located lateral to the central incisor and medial to the canine. It has a single root and a single pulp canal in most cases, though variations such as bifurcated roots or accessory canals may occur. The crown is narrower than the central incisor, with a rounded distal edge and a slightly incisal notch or groove in some individuals. Functionally, the lateral incisor plays a key role in incising food, guiding occlusion, and contributing to aesthetics, supporting the smile line and lip contour. Its position also makes it vulnerable to trauma, caries, and developmental anomalies such as peg-shaped crowns or dens invaginatus.

Synonyms

  • Maxillary lateral incisor

  • Upper lateral incisor

  • Tooth #7 (FDI: 12) / #10 (Universal system)

Function

  • Incises food during mastication

  • Guides anterior occlusion and overbite

  • Supports aesthetic contour of the maxillary arch and smile line

  • Maintains spacing and alignment between central incisor and canine

MRI Appearance
T1-weighted images:

  • Enamel appears very low signal (hypointense) due to its dense mineral content

  • Dentin shows intermediate signal, distinguishable from the pulp chamber

  • Pulp cavity appears hyperintense relative to surrounding dentin, especially in younger teeth

  • Periodontal ligament appears as a thin hypointense line surrounding the root

T2-weighted images:

  • Pulp cavity appears bright hyperintense, making it easier to evaluate pulp pathology

  • Dentin is intermediate signal, enamel remains hypointense

  • Surrounding bone marrow appears hyperintense; cortical bone is hypointense

  • Useful for detecting pulpal edema, inflammation, or periapical pathology

STIR (Short Tau Inversion Recovery):

  • Fat suppression highlights bone marrow edema or periapical inflammatory changes

  • Normal pulp remains intermediate signal; pathological pulp or periapical lesions appear hyperintense

  • Particularly valuable in trauma or early pulpitis

CT Appearance

  • Enamel appears hyperdense (bright white) due to high mineral content

  • Dentin is slightly less dense, and pulp cavity is hypodense (dark)

  • Surrounding alveolar bone is intermediate density, with cortical bone distinctly hyperdense

  • CT clearly delineates root morphology, periapical regions, and any fractures or developmental anomalies

  • Air in the oral cavity appears hypodense (black), naturally contrasting with teeth and bone

MRI images

Lateral superior incisor tooth mri axial image -img-00000-00000

MRI images

Lateral superior incisor tooth mri sag image -img-00000-00000