premolar /prēmō″lər/ [L, prae + mola, mill] , one of eight teeth, four in each dental arch, located lateral and posterior to the canine teeth and anterior to the molars. They are smaller and shorter than the canine teeth. The crown of each premolar is compressed anteroposteriorly and surmounted by two cusps, and the neck is oval. The root is single and compressed in all premolars except the upper first, which usually has two roots. Usually an anterior and a posterior groove are also present. The upper premolars are larger than the lower premolars. Also called bicuspid. Compare canine tooth, incisor, molar.
