Do humans realy use there front teeth anymore?

the back teeth, like molors, are for smashing.


the front teeth, like incisors and the k-9s, are for ripping and tearing, meat. but its "impolite" to pick up a steak and to just start biting it.


so does that mean we only use them when eating burgers and to smile.

Do humans realy use there front teeth anymore?
I'm a dentist.





I think you answered your own question. Front teeth are used for cutting food into portions that fit in your mouth for your back teeth to macerate (smash and grind). Obviously, there are some foods for which we use a fork and knife to cut into bite-size portions, but some foods require us to bite into them.





Your front teeth are also important for speech. Various phonemes (e.g. "th", "f", "v") are made using your front teeth, and edentulous patients do indeed have some difficulty making these sounds properly.





Your front teeth serve another extremely important purpose. They protect your masticatory system. All teeth are surrounded by a periodontal ligament that holds them into the bone. The periodontal ligament (PDL) of each tooth contains pressure receptors that tell your brain how much pressure each tooth is experiencing. Your masticatory system is set up in a way where the front teeth are not supposed to experience any significant forces. When you clench your back teeth together, your front teeth do not touch, hence you can clench hard. When you slide your jaw foreward or to the side, your front teeth touch. This sends a message back to your brainstem (and in particular, the trigeminal nucleus) telling it that the front teeth are touching. This in turn makes your masticatory system relax the muscles that allow you to bite. Why is this important? For two reasons: one, because your front teeth are not meant to take significant biting forces--they will break. But also because your temporomandibular joints are not meant to take heavy biting loads when they are shifted from their "home" position. They can be damaged if that happens.





Finally, your front teeth serve an important aesthetic function (even with your mouth and lips closed). They support your lips and mid-face. Extract your front teeth, and your lips and philtrum (that little divet under your nose) will sink in to varying extents, and your midface may have a sunken-in appearance.





Your front teeth are incredibly important--as are your back teeth.
Reply:No.


The incisors and canines are very important for eating..


Think apples!


Also they are involved in speech,u wouldnt sound the same without them.


Paul
Reply:Incisors and canines have less importance after the invention of the knife and fork. However, for foods that you wouldn't use a knife/fork for like fruit, vegetables, or say, chicken drumsticks, we still have use for incisors and canines.



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