Final answer:
The human mouth has incisors and canines for biting and tearing, while premolars and molars crush and grind food. Incisors are the front teeth, cuspids are pointed for tearing, premolars mash, and molars, including the wisdom teeth, crush food in preparation for swallowing.
Step-by-step explanation:
The human mouth is divided into two dental categories: incisors and canines, and premolars and molars. Specifically, the eight incisors, four top and four bottom, are the sharp front teeth used for biting into food. The four cuspids (or canines) flank the incisors and are designed to tear up food with their pointed edges. Behind the cuspids are the eight premolars (or bicuspids) which have a flatter shape with two rounded cusps for mashing foods. Finally, the most posterior teeth are the 12 molars, which have several pointed cusps for crushing food so it is ready for swallowing. This includes the wisdom teeth, which are the last molars and often need to be removed if they remain impacted.