incisors are special kinds of teeth that can be found in some mammals, such as humans. they are the eight large flat teeth with straight edges that are at the front of a person's mouth, in between the canine teeth, which are pointed. the straight edges of the "incisors" are useful for biting because they cut sharply. they come together like a pair of pincers. in a human, the two teeth at the middle of each jaw are called the "central incisors", and the side ones are the "lateral incisors". (lateral means "to the side"). some humans never grow "lateral incisors" or have very small ones, particularly at the top.