Anatomy of the Teeth Tissues of the Tooth

Anatomy of the Teeth

Tissues of the Tooth Enamel – the hard tissue that covers the crown portion of the tooth (hardest substance in the body). n Cementum – the substance covering the root surface of the tooth. n Dentin – the material forming the main inner portion of the tooth structure. n

n Pulp – the vital tissues of the tooth consisting of nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue. ¨ Pulp chamber – open area in center of tooth, found in the crown area; place for the pulpal tissues. ¨ Pulp canal – small canal or trench area in the center of the root, containing the pulpal vessels.

Parts of a Tooth n Crown – top portion of the tooth covered by enamel. ¨ Clinical crown - portion of the tooth that is visible in the mouth. ¨ Anatomical crown – the total portion of the crown that is covered by the emanel.

n Root – bottom part of the tooth; may be single-, double-, or triple-root. ¨ Clinical root – portion of the root covered by the gingival (gum) tissue. ¨ Anatomical root – total portion of the root covered by the cementum.

Cervix – neck – the neck of the tooth at the cementoenamel junction. n Apex – the anatomic area at the end of the tooth root. n

Tissues surrounding the Teeth Alveolar process – the extension of the maxilla and mandible that surrounds and supports the teeth to form the dental arches. n Alveolar bone – the part of the alveolar process that lines the bony sockets into which the roots of the teeth are embedded. n

n Periodontal ligament – dense connective tissue organized into fiber groups that connects the cementum covering of the root of the tooth with the alveolar bone of the socket wall.

n Gingiva – the mucous membrane tissue that immediately surrounds the tooth. ¨ Attached gingiva – the portion of the gingiva extending from the gingival margin to the alveolar mucosa. ¨ Free gingiva – the part of the gingiva that surrounds the tooth and is not directly attached to the tooth surface.

Important Oral Cavity Structures n Labia – lips ¨ Superior oris – upper lip ¨ Inferior oris – lower lip ¨ Commissure – area at the corners of the mouth where the lips meet. ¨ Vermillion – area where the pink-red lip tissue meets the facial skin. ¨ Philtrum – the median groove on the external surface of the upper lip.

n Frenum – a tissue fold attachment that connects two parts. ¨ Labial frenum – tissue that attaches the inside of lip to the mucous membrane in the anterior of the oral cavity. ¨ Lingual fremun – attaches the lower side of the tongue to the floor membrane. ¨ Buccal frenum – attaches the side of the cheeck to the oral cavity in the maxillary first molar area.

n Palate – roof of the mouth ¨ Hard palate – composed of palatine processes of the maxillae bones. n Rugae – irregular folds or bumps on the anterior surface of the hard palate. ¨ Soft palate – flexible portion located in the posterior region of the oral cavity. n Gag reflex – protective mechanism located in the posterior region of the soft palate.

n n n Uvula – tissue structure hanging from the soft palate in the posterior of the oral cavity. Retromolar pad – located at the rear of the mouth distal to the molars on the mandibular arch. Tuberosities – rounded area on the outer surface of the maxillary bones in the area of the posterior teeth.

Surfaces of the Teeth n Facial – pertaining to the surface of the cheek and lips (face). ¨ Labial – pertaining to the lips: anterior surface of the anterior teeth. ¨ Buccal – pertaining to the cheek: surface of the posterior teeth touching the cheek. n Lingual – surface of the tooth or area touching the tongue.

Incisal edge – cutting edge of the anterior teeth. n Occlusal – chewing surface of the posterior teeth. n

n Proximal – side wall of tooth which meet with or touches the side wall of another tooth. ¨ Mesial – to the middle: side surface closest to the middle of the face. ¨ Distal – pertaining to the far or away side: side farthest from the midline of the face.

Keywords n n n n n Enamel Cementum Dentin Pulp chamber Pulp canal Crown Clinical crown Anatomic crown Root n n n Clinical root Anatomic root Cervix Apex Alveolar process Alveolar bone Periodontal ligament Gingiva Attached gingiva Free gingiva Labial

More keywords n n n n n Superior oris Inferior oris Commissure Vermillion Philtrum Frenum Palate Hard palate Soft palate Gag reflex n n n n n Uvula Retromolar pad Tuberosities Facial Labial Buccal Lingual Incisal edge Occlusal Rugae