Dentition lab

Crown

The visible part of a tooth above the gum.

Enamel

The hard outer covering of the tooth crown.

Dentin

The softer layer underneath the enamel.

Cementum

The softest tooth layer that attaches the tooth to the jawbone.

Pulp

The living material in the center of a tooth.

Cusp

A point or projection on the chewing surface of a tooth.

Unicuspid

A tooth with one cusp.

Bicuspid

A tooth with two cusps.

Tricuspid

A tooth with three cusps.

Multicuspid

A tooth with several cusps.

Diphyodont

Having two sets of teeth during a lifetime.

Milk teeth

The first set of teeth in a diphyodont mammal.

Deciduous teeth

Teeth that are shed and replaced by permanent teeth.

Heterodont

Having teeth that differ in shape and size.

Homodont

Having teeth that are all similar in shape.

Diastema

The space between the incisors and cheek teeth.

Dental formula

A formula showing the number and position of each tooth type on one side of the mouth.

Incisors

Front chisel-shaped teeth used for nipping, scraping, and cutting.

Canines

Pointed teeth used for puncturing, holding, and killing prey.

Premolars

Cheek teeth behind the canines used for chewing and shearing.

Molars

Back cheek teeth used for chewing, crushing, and grinding.

Cheek teeth

The premolars and molars.

Premaxilla

The upper-jaw bone that holds the upper incisors.

Maxilla

The upper-jaw bone that holds the canines, premolars, and molars.

Dentary

The lower-jaw bone that holds all lower teeth.

Brachyodont

Low-crowned cheek teeth with deep roots.

Hypsodont

High-crowned cheek teeth adapted to resist wear.

Bunodont

Cheek teeth with rounded cusps used for crushing food.

Lophodont

Cheek teeth with transverse ridges.

Selenodont

Cheek teeth with crescent-shaped ridges.

Dilambdodont

Cheek teeth with W-shaped ridges.

Carnassial pair

The last upper premolar and first lower molar used to shear meat.

Occlusion

The way the upper and lower teeth meet.

ICPM

The order used when writing a dental formula: incisors, canines, premolars, and molars.