Why aren’t top teeth the same sizes as our lower teeth?
In: 46
For some people, they are.
But I’d imagine it has something to do with the function of the front teeth — tearing — and evolution.
Better sub to ask would be r/askscience and tag it biology.
Your front teeth (incisors) work like scissors. They cut by shearing as they pass each other, not crush by being on top of each other like molars. The top ones are bigger to have a slightly larger radius for the bottoms to slide behind just a little.
Edit: This was explained to me by an othordontist trying to fix my underbite.
Your teeth only have so much room to from in your lower jaw. Your upper has more room. Look up teeth development cycles or something but, as far as I know each tooth is not the same size up and down but the type is a mirror up and down. Molars on molars. Fang on fang.
Our upper teeth appear larger than our lower teeth because they are more visible when we smile. Our upper teeth also have longer roots, which makes them appear bigger. Additionally, the upper front teeth are typically more angled and protrude more than our lower teeth, making them appear larger.
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