The
cusp of Carabelli, or
Carabelli's tubercle, or
tuberculus anomalus of
Georg CarabelliGeorg Carabelli aka Georg Carabelli, Edler von Lunkaszprie was a prominent Hungarian dentist and professor of dental surgery in Vienna.Georg Carabelli was a court dentist of the Austrian Emperor Franz and a founder...
is a small additional
cuspA cusp is an occlusal or incisal eminence on a tooth.Canine teeth, otherwise known as cuspids, each possess a single cusp, while premolars, otherwise known as bicuspids, possess two each. Molars normally possess either four or five cusps...
at the
mesiopalatalThere are numerous commonly used terms of relationship and comparison that refer to different aspects of teeth and are frequently utilized in articles about dentistry...
line angle of
maxillary first molarThe maxillary first molar is the tooth located laterally from both the maxillary second premolars of the mouth but mesial from both maxillary second molars. The function of this molar is similar to that of all molars in regard to grinding being the principle action during mastication, commonly...
s. This extra cusp is usually found on the first molar, and becomes progressively less likely in the second, third molars. This cusp is entirely absent in some individuals and present in others in a variety of forms. In some cases, Carabelli's cusp may rival the main cusps in size. Other related forms include ridges, pits, or furrows. This additional cusp was first described in 1842 by the Hungarian Georg Carabelli (Carabelli György), the court dentist of the
AustrianThe Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire founded on a remnant of the Holy Roman Empire centered on what is today's Austria that officially lasted from 1804 to 1867...
Emperor Franz.
The cusp of Carabelli is a heritable feature. Kraus (1951) proposed that
homozygosityZygosity is the similarity of genes for a trait in an organism. If both genes are the same, the organism is homozygous for the trait. If both genes are different, the organism is heterozygous for that trait...
of a gene is responsible for a pronounced tubercle, whereas the
heterozygoteZygosity is the similarity of genes for a trait in an organism. If both genes are the same, the organism is homozygous for the trait. If both genes are different, the organism is heterozygous for that trait...
shows slight grooves, pits, tubercles or bulge. Later studies showed that the development of this trait is affected by multiple genes. Carabelli's cusp is most common among Europeans (75-85% of individuals) and rarest in Pacific Islands (35-45%).
This cusp may also be found in dogs and cats.