The canine is the point where the arch turns. You should see the mesial half of the canine from an anterior view. The distal half blends in with the posterior teeth. (You remember from Dental Anatomy that the mesial half of the canine mimics the anterior teeth, and the distal half mimics the posterior teeth.)

The distal half of the mandibular canine lines up with the central fossa of the first premolar. (We know that the premolar is not in place yet, so line up the distal of the canine with the pencil line on the land area that marks the crest of the ridge.)

The distal half of the maxillary canine lines up with the buccal cusp of the maxillary first premolar. Thus you get the overjet in the canine area.

The maxillary canine neck can be distally inclined. However, if the papilla bordering the mesial of the canine is noticeably larger than the distal papilla then you have too great an inclination.

©1999 by Julius Rosen, D.D.S.