Definition
noun
A tooth with two cusps; a premolar tooth.
Supplement
Bicuspid is located between the canine and molar teeth, and is considered as a transitional tooth. Because it has the properties of both the anterior canines and posterior molars, food can be transferred from canines to premolars and finally to molars for grinding, instead of directly from canines to molars.
Adult humans have a total of eight premolars: maxillary first premolar, maxillary second premolar, mandibular first premolar, and the mandibular second premolar.
Word origin: New Latin bicuspis, bicuspid- : Latin bi-, two + Latin cuspis, sharp point.
Synonym: premolar tooth, dens bicuspidus.
Compare: cuspid, molar.
Dictionary > Bicuspid tooth
You will also like...
Lotic Communities & Animals
A running water environment offers numerous microhabitats for many types of animals. Similar to plants, animals in lotic..
Animal Growth Hormones
Hormones are produced in the endocrine glands of animals. The pituitary gland and hypothalamus are the most impor..
The Human Nervous System
The nervous system is essentially a biological information highway. This tutorial gives an overview of the nervous syste..
Biological Cell Defense
Organisms employ different strategies to boost its defenses against antigens. Humans have an immune system to combat pat..
Plant Meristems and Growth
In plants, growth occurs in meristems, which are the site of repeated cell division of unspecialized cells. These cells ..
Ecosystem Succession
If the balance of nature is left untouched, landscapes can change dramatically over time. A previous ecosystem is supers..