Dental Health Role of Your Premolars Why you need your premolars but not your wisdom teeth By Shawn Watson Shawn Watson is an orthodontic dental assistant and writer with over 10 years of experience working in the field of dentistry. Learn about our editorial process Shawn Watson Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Sumaya Ibraheem, DDS on November 17, 2019 linkedin Sumaya Ibraheem, DDS, is a general dentist practicing in New York, and a member of the American Dental Association and New York State Dental Association. Learn about our Medical Review Board Sumaya Ibraheem, DDS on November 17, 2019 Print Just as their name indicates, premolars are located just before the molars in the human mouth. These teeth are also known as bicuspids. The premolars are considered transitional teeth, as they work to guide food from the cuspids near the front of the mouth back to the molars near the rear of the mouth for chewing. Glow Wellness / Getty Images The Basics Human beings typically have eight total premolars. There are two premolars in each of the four dental quadrants of the mouth. Although the exact age at the time of arrival varies, the first premolar usually arrives right around the age of nine years old. The second premolar usually follows a year later around the age of 10 years old. Anatomy The anatomy of a premolar is similar to that of the first and second molars, although they are considerably smaller in comparison. Premolars have one to two roots firmly implanted in the bone for stabilization. Their Similarities to Molars Premolars are very similar to molars in terms of anatomy and structure. However, unlike premolars, adults are predisposed to have 12 total molars, while they only have eight premolars. The molars are located the furthest away from the front teeth of all of the teeth, as they are stationed in the back of the mouth next to the cheek. Molars erupt earlier than premolars also, as the first one commonly emerges in the mouth around the age of six years old. There is a decent gap of time between the appearance of the first and second molars, as the second molar typically doesn’t emerge until the age of 12 or 13. Wisdom Teeth The third molar is arguably the most well-known of the molars. Most people refer to a third molar as a wisdom tooth. Wisdom teeth typically erupt between the ages of 17 and 25 years old. They are often removed from the mouth, as there is often not enough space to accommodate them, and thus they can cause a variety of dental issues for the gums and other teeth. As the wisdom teeth emerge they often push other teeth out of the way, altering the alignment of the teeth. How Premolars and Molars Work Together Molars are the largest of all of the teeth in the mouth. Their size is necessary as they are used to grind food into small pieces so that it is easily swallowed, and not choked on. The molars are designed and intended to sustain the great force that is generated from the chewing, clenching, and grinding that occurs at the site of the molars. The premolars are located directly in front of the molars and are used to pass food backward to be chewed. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Renton T, Wilson NH. Problems with erupting wisdom teeth: signs, symptoms, and management. Br J Gen Pract. 2016;66(649):e606-8. doi:10.3399/bjgp16X686509