Tooth #14 in particular
About the upper left first molar
Tooth 14 is the upper left first molar, the sixth tooth back from the midline on the left side of the upper jaw. Other numbering systems call the same tooth 26 (FDI) or UL6 (Palmer). It sits between the second premolar, tooth 13, and the second molar, tooth 15, and closes against the lower left first molar, tooth 19. First molars are the largest teeth and do most of the grinding. This one typically arrives at around 6 to 7 years of age, coming in behind the last baby tooth without replacing anything, which makes it one of the longest-serving teeth in an adult mouth. It typically has three roots, and four canals are common because one of those roots often carries two.
What tends to go wrong here
If tooth 14 has turned up on a treatment plan or an insurance statement, that is not unusual. Because first molars arrive around age six and have deep grooves, they are the teeth most often filled, crowned and root-canal treated over a lifetime, and each replacement filling tends to be a little larger than the last. The other feature of this tooth is its position beneath the maxillary sinus. An infection at its roots can produce sinus-like symptoms, such as pressure or stuffiness on the left side, while a congested sinus can make sound upper back teeth ache. Telling the two apart takes an exam and usually an x-ray, so one-sided cheek pressure with a sore upper molar is worth a dental visit.
If it needs treatment
A filling on tooth 14 is routine. A root canal is more involved than on a front tooth because of the number of canals, and the extra canal in one root can be hard to locate, which is one reason some dentists refer this tooth to an endodontist. A crown is usually recommended after a root canal on a molar. If an extraction is proposed, it is planned with the nearby sinus in mind. Useful questions for your dentist: how many canals were found and treated, whether a crown is part of the plan and when it should be placed, how close the roots sit to the sinus on your x-ray, and what the options are for replacing the tooth if it comes out.
What it does
What the upper left first molar is for
First molars are the largest teeth and do most of the grinding. They are the first permanent teeth to arrive, behind the baby teeth, without replacing any of them. Often called the "six-year molars".
Anatomy
Roots and canals of tooth #14
Typically three roots. Four canals are common, because one root often has two. These are typical patterns. The only way to know the anatomy of your own tooth is an x-ray, which is why one is taken before a root canal or extraction.
Common problems
What tends to go wrong with first molars
Because they arrive around age six and have deep grooves, first molars are the teeth most often filled, crowned, and root-canal treated over a lifetime.
If it needs treatment
Root canal, crown, or extraction on tooth #14
Upper molar roots lie close to the maxillary sinus, so infections can cause sinus-like symptoms and extractions are planned with that in mind. A crown is usually recommended after a root canal on a molar.
| Root canal: what to expect |
| Tooth extraction: what to expect |
| Dental crown: what to expect |
| Extraction or root canal? |
General information · Not dental advice
This page describes a typical first molar. It cannot tell you anything about your own tooth #14. We always recommend seeing a dentist. Nothing on this site can examine your mouth or tell you what is wrong. If something hurts, looks wrong, or worries you, book an exam, and go sooner if it is getting worse.
Emergency? If you have trouble breathing or swallowing, swelling that is spreading toward your eye or neck, a fever with facial swelling, or bleeding that will not stop, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room immediately. Full disclaimer