incisial

Incisial is an adjective used primarily in dental anatomy to describe features related to the incisal edge or surface of a tooth—the cutting edge of the front teeth. In standard English dental terminology, the more common term is incisal; incisial appears mainly in regional, historical, or translated dental texts and in some non-English languages as a direct cognate.

Etymology and usage context: the word derives from Latin incis-us meaning cut or carved, with the suffix -ial to form an adjective. The related noun incis- or incisor refers to the tooth itself, while incisal is the contemporary preferred adjective for describing the incisor edge. Incisial thus represents a traditional or variant form that may be encountered in certain literature or multilingual contexts.

In clinical and anatomical use, incisial describes structures, wear patterns, and relations involving the incisal edge. Examples include incisial wear on the biting edge of anterior teeth, and concepts such as incisial guidance, which refers to how the incisal edges influence anterior-posterior contact during jaw movements in occlusion analysis. The incisial plane (or incisal plane) is a reference orientation used in prosthodontics to align and restore the position of the incisal edges in dental appliances and restorative work.

Overall, incisial is a historical or regionally variant term for aspects of the incisal edge, with incisal as the standard term in contemporary English dental practice. See also incisal edge, incisor, and occlusion for related topics.