Variation in Form of Human Teeth: II. An Anthropologic and Forensic Study of Maxillary Canines

Qualitative analyses were made of morpho-logic variations in a large collection of ex-tracted upper canine teeth. The range of variation negates the concept of a "typical tooth, " but it also shows that certain char-acteristics tend to be found in a particular tooth of the dentition. This knowledge may be of anthropologic or forensic significance, especially to facilitate the identification of incomplete teeth. D M ai b c This paper continues a study on variation in teeth, of which Part I dealt with the upper incisors.' UPPER CANINE.-Both crown and root of this tooth are larger than those of the lateral incisor. The root is relatively larger than the crown. Labially and lingually, the crown outline is basically pentagonal instead of quadrilateral because the incisal edge con-sists of mesial and distal portions which meet to form the single cusp (Fig 1, a, b, c