Question

Which one of the following correctly represents the normal adult human dental formula?
A. 3131/3121.
B. 2133/2123.
C. 2123/2123.
D. 3133/3133.

Answer 1

Humans have a different type of teeth which are arranged in the form of a row on the upper and lower jaw, that is maxilla and the mandible respectively, and these teeth are embedded on the jaws covered by the gingiva, where the root portion of teeth are inside the bone and the crown portion is visible.

Complete step by step answer:
-The teeth of humans are said to be diphyodont, which means that they can develop teeth 2 times in their whole life.
-The teeth that are developed the first time are called primary teeth and they are also called deciduous teeth.
-While the teeth that develop later are called permanent or succedaneous teeth which develop later or after the shedding of primary teeth.
-There is a various system to mention the teeth, but among all universal numbering systems is most widely accepted.
-There mainly four types of teeth are present in the humans and each tooth has different functions, they are incisors which helps to cut the food and canines their function is to tear the food, and premolars and molars are to crush the food so that it is easy for swallowing and digestion.
-But in primary teeth premolars are absent only incisors, canines and molars are present, and each jaw has 10 teeth and the total number is 20 teeth, where the dental formula for primary teeth is 212/212, which represent that each quadrant contains 2 incisors and one canine and 2 molars.
-Similarly, the teeth formula for permanent teeth is present but here the difference is premolars are present, so the dental formula is 2123/ 2123.
-The dental formula represents the teeth present in each quadrant and the upper one is teeth present and the upper quadrant and the lower one represents teeth present on the lower quadrant, so each side has 16 teeth and both sides, which mean 32 teeth in total.
So the correct option is C. 2123/2123.

Note: When coming to the difference between the teeth of humans of males and females, where the male teeth along with male jaw are little longer than the female teeth and female jaw, and they have a difference in the amount of tooth structure, where males have more dentine proportion while females have more enamel proportion in their teeth structure.