The
maxillary canine is the
tooth located laterally (away from the midline of the
face) from both
maxillary lateral incisors of the
mouth but mesial (toward the midline of the face) from both
maxillary first premolars. Both the maxillary and mandibular
canines are called the "cornerstone" of the mouth because they are all located three teeth away from the midline, and separate the premolars from the
incisors. The location of the canines reflect their dual function as they complement both the premolars and incisors during
mastication, commonly known as chewing. Nonetheless, the most common action of the canines is tearing of food. The canine teeth are able to withstand the tremendous lateral pressure caused by chewing. There is a single
cusp on canines, and they resemble the
prehensile teeth found in carnivorous animals such as the extinct
Saber-toothed cat. Though relatively the same, there are some minor differences between the
deciduous (baby) maxillary canine and that of the
permanent maxillary canine.