A cutting element may include a substrate; and an ultrahard layer on the substrate, the substrate and the ultrahard layer defining a non-planar working surface of the cutting element such that the ultrahard layer forms a cutting portion and the substrate is at least laterally adjacent to the ultrahard layer. Another cutting element includes a pointed region having a side surface extending from the pointed region outer perimeter to a peak. An ultrahard material body forms a portion of the pointed region including the peak, and a base region extends a depth from the pointed region outer perimeter. The ultrahard material body has a height to width aspect ratio with the height and width measured between two points of the body having the greatest distance apart along a dimension parallel with a longitudinal axis (i.e., height) along a dimension perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (i.e., width).