The Truth About Premolars

The main distinctions between premolar and molar teeth are in their size and shape. While a molar has four cusps or points, a premolar has only two. Molars are also significantly larger than their bicuspid neighbors.

Both premolar and molar teeth have pits and fissures between their cusps that can trap the food and bacteria that lead to cavities, although the crevices in molars are deeper and more difficult to keep free of cavity-causing particles.

The premolar teeth, with the exception of the upper or maxillary first bicuspid, usually have a single root. The maxillary first premolar usually has two roots, though a single root is also possible. Molars, in contrast, all have at least two roots, with the upper molars typically having three.

If you were to go looking for bicuspids in your child's mouth, you likely wouldn't find them. Baby teeth, also called deciduous teeth, do not have premolars. Instead, in the places where adults have premolars, children have what dentists call first molars. Once these fall out, they are replaced by premolars.

Learn more about the anatomy of your teeth by visiting the Colgate Oral Care resources.