THE TEETH. 



351 



THE TEETH.* 



Human teeth are osseous in character and are ivory- 

 like bodies, placed in the jaws for the purposes of masti- 

 cation, articulation, and contour. Normally fifty-two 

 teeth make their appearance during life ; these are 

 divided into two sets, for child and adult life. The first, 

 known as the primary, temporary, deciduous, or milk set 

 of teeth, consists of twenty ten for either jaw. The 

 second, or permanent, consists of thirty-two, of which 

 the first tooth making its appearance is the first or six- 



FIG. 152. TEMPORARY TEETH. 



year-old molar, so named because it erupts about the 

 sixth year. 



The temporary teeth are classified on each side, from 

 the median line backward, into two incisors (one central 

 and one lateral incisor), one cuspid or canine, and two 

 molars, the first and second, in each jaw. 



In the permanent set the incisors and cuspids corre- 

 spond in number and position to those of the temporary, 

 but the molars are replaced by the first and second 

 bicuspids or premolars, and posterior to these we find 

 the first, second, and third molars ; the third molar is 

 often termed the "dens sapientise," or "wisdom tooth." 



*The section on the teeth has been prepared by T. S. Heineken, D.D.S., of 

 New Jersey, and E. E. Caspersonn, D.D.S., of Australia. 



