The crown of each tooth has five tooth surfaces. However, there are more than five terms that can be used. Some terms apply to specific surfaces of particular groups of teeth while other terms are more collective. The five views of an anterior tooth (maxillary incisor) and a posterior tooth (mandibular molar) are shown below.
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These examples illustrate one of the differences in terminology between anterior and posterior teeth. The "biting" surface of an anterior tooth is the "incisal" surface while the biting surface of a posterior tooth is called the "occlusal" surface. A more detailed explanation of the terms follows.
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Click on the movie icon above to view tooth surfaces terminology. |