Quick Facts
Location: Distal to mandibular canine tooth; mesial to mandibular second premolar tooth.
Eruption: 6 to 7 years (permanent).
Key Features: Crown, root, marginal ridges, central groove, and buccal and lingual cusps.
Nerve Supply: Inferior dental plexus.
Arterial Supply: Inferior alveolar artery.
Key Features & Anatomical Relations
The mandibular first premolar tooth is one of the two premolar teeth that are found in a quadrant of the mandibular dental arcade. It includes the following bony features:
- parts: crown, root, and cervical line;
- surfaces: buccal, lingual, mesial, distal, and occlusal surfaces;
- landmarks: buccal and lingual cusps, marginal ridges, and central groove.
The mandibular first premolar tooth is located:
- distal to the mandibular canine tooth;
- mesial to the mandibular second premolar tooth.
The root of the mandibular first premolar tooth is lodged in a dental alveolus of the mandible.
Development
The permanent mandibular first premolar tooth does not have a deciduous precursor.
The permanent mandibular first premolar tooth undergoes calcification around the time of birth, with the development of the crown being completed during the second to third years. Eruption of this tooth occurs during the sixth to seventh years and the development of the root is completed during the ninth to tenth years (Nelson, 2014).
Function
As with all premolar teeth, the function of the mandibular first premolar tooth is to assist the mandibular canine tooth in the gripping (prehension) and tearing of food during mastication.
References
Nelson, S. J. (2014) Wheeler's Dental Anatomy, Physiology and Occlusion. 10th edn.: Elsevier Health Sciences.
