Teeth

What are the three layers of hard tissue

Teeth are composed of three hard tissues: enamel (hardest, mostly mineral), dentine (bulk of tooth, harder than bone/cementum), and cementum (covers the root).

When does tooth development begin

Tooth development begins in the sixth week of gestation with the dental lamina forming on the jaws.

How do tooth buds develop

Tooth buds develop as the dental lamina grows into the mesenchyme, which condenses (derived from neural crest cells).

Explain the cap stage

The cap stage involves the mesenchymal dental papilla forming under the invaginating dental lamina, which differentiates into the enamel organ (producing enamel).