Which tooth is described as having three roots and five cusps?

Which tooth is described as having three roots and five cusps?

• A. Lower deciduous second molar
• B. Permanent upper canine
• C. Upper first permanent molar
• D. Deciduous upper lateral incisor

Answer: (C)

The main concept here is recognizing a tooth by its characteristic root and cusp pattern. The upper first permanent molar is the one that normally shows three roots—two buccal roots (mesiobuccal and distobuccal) and one palatal root—and five cusps (mesiobuccal, distobuccal, mesiopalatal/mesiolingual, distopalatal/distolingual, and a central palatal cusp). This combination is classic for that tooth, which distinguishes it from the other options that have different root or cusp configurations (for example, canines usually have a single root and one main cusp, and deciduous teeth have different patterns). So the described tooth is the upper first permanent molar.

The main concept here is recognizing a tooth by its characteristic root and cusp pattern. The upper first permanent molar is the one that normally shows three roots—two buccal roots (mesiobuccal and distobuccal) and one palatal root—and five cusps (mesiobuccal, distobuccal, mesiopalatal/mesiolingual, distopalatal/distolingual, and a central palatal cusp). This combination is classic for that tooth, which distinguishes it from the other options that have different root or cusp configurations (for example, canines usually have a single root and one main cusp, and deciduous teeth have different patterns). So the described tooth is the upper first permanent molar.