Canine Teeth: What They Are, How Many You Have and What They Do

A person has four canine teeth: two in the upper jaw and two in the lower. Each sits at the corner of the dental arch, between the incisors (the flat front teeth) and the premolars. Children have four as well, among their 20 milk teeth. The full picture of all tooth shapes is in our guide on the types of teeth.

This page is about human teeth. The word is borrowed from the dog family, because the pointed shape looks similar, but human canines are much smaller and are built mainly for tearing soft food, not for hunting.

The upper canines are called eye teeth because they sit roughly below the eyes, and their long roots reach up towards the bone under the eye socket. Fang teeth is an informal name for the same teeth, used because of the single sharp cusp. Some people have canines that look longer or more pointed than average, and that is a normal variation in shape.

A canine has one of the longest roots of any tooth. That deep anchor makes it a strong tooth that often lasts a lifetime when cared for, and it is why dentists try hard to keep canines when planning treatment.

Canines grip and tear food, but they also do a quieter job: they guide the jaw. When you slide your teeth sideways, the canines meet first and lift the back teeth apart, which protects them from heavy side forces. This is part of how your bite works, as described in our guide on occlusion.

Milk canines usually fall out between about 9 and 12 years of age, and the permanent ones take their place at around the same time. The upper canine has the longest journey to reach the arch, so it is the tooth most often found stuck under the gum. Read more in our guide on impacted teeth and on the impacted canine. If an upper canine has not appeared by early teenage years, a dentist or orthodontist can check it with an X-ray.

Canines get worn at the tip with age, and heavy grinding can flatten them early. They also sit at the corner where gums can recede, leaving the root exposed and sensitive. Brushing gently along the gumline, using fluoride toothpaste and seeing a dentist regularly are the usual protection.

Treatments follow the same principles as for other teeth. For comparison with the teeth behind them, see the guides on premolar teeth and molar teeth.