Understanding Human Teeth: Types and Stages of Development

The human mouth contains different numbers and different types of teeth at two stages of life. As children, we have 20 baby teeth made up of five types. As adults, we have 32 permanent teeth made up of eight types. These different types of teeth each have their own special functions.

Baby Teeth

• As children, we get four of each of the following five types of teeth: second molars, first molars, cuspids, lateral incisors and central incisors.

Permanent Teeth

• After shedding our baby teeth, adult humans get four of each of the following eight types of teeth: wisdom teeth, second molars, first molars, second bicuspids, first bicuspids, four cuspids (canine teeth), lateral incisors and central incisors.

Teeth Functions

• The incisors take care of biting while the cuspids take care of tearing our food apart. The remaining teeth are all meant for chewing and pulverizing the remains in order to prepare the food for swallowing.