Corpus: Incisor

The incisors are single-rooted teeth of the upper and lower jaw that lie between the canines.

The permanent dentition includes:

2.1. Upper jaw (maxilla)

• central upper incisor (2 teeth: 11 and 21)
• lateral upper incisor (2 teeth: 12 and 22)

2.2. Lower jaw (mandible)

• Middle lower incisor (2 teeth: 31 and 41)
• lateral lower incisor (2 teeth: 32 and 42)

In contrast to premolars and molars, incisors do not have an occlusal surface but instead have a chisel- or shovel-shaped form with a pointed cutting edge (incisal edge). After eruption, small protrusions called mamelons are recognizable on the incisal edge, which are eventually removed by abrasion or attrition. A foramen caecum dentis is often found on the palatal surface.

The upper incisors are larger than the lower incisors, which are the smallest teeth in the human dentition. They have a distinct angular feature, with the incisal edge merging into the proximal surface at a more acute angle mesially than distally.

The central upper incisors (11, 21) have the largest mesiodistal extension of all incisors and have a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from the front.

The incisors in the upper jaw are innervated by the superior anterior alveolar nerve, a branch of the maxillary nerve (V2), and in the lower jaw by the inferior alveolar nerve, a branch of the mandibular nerve (V3). Both nerves are branches of the trigeminal nerve (5th cranial nerve).

The arterial supply in the upper jaw is provided by the superior anterior alveolar artery, while the lower jaw is supplied by the inferior alveolar artery.

Incisors are used for biting off pieces of food.

The incisors hold great aesthetic importance due to their central position in the dentition. For this reason, tooth-colored filling materials are almost exclusively used for restoration, with shades that match the patient's individual tooth color as closely as possible.