An overview of Dental Anatomy

Anterior

Forward, towards front of mouth and midline

Apical

Towards root, apex of tooth

Bifurcated

Single tooth with 2 roots

Buccal

Surface facing cheeks

Cementum

Tissue covering root of tooth

Cementoenamel junction (CEJ)

Line where enamel and cementum meet

Cingulum

Small bump near cervcial third of anterior tooth on lingual side

Crown

Portion of tooth above gumline — starting at cementoenamel junction

Cusp

Top portion of tooth, tip or point

Deciduous teeth

Primary teeth (first set of teeth)

Dentin

Tissue of the tooth between pulp and enamel and cementum; majority of the tooth

Dentition

Set of teeth

(could be primary, mixed, or permanent dentition)

Dentoenamel junction (DEJ)

Where enamel meets dentin

Distal

Surface of the tooth away from midline of face

Dorsal

Top surface

Embrasure

Space between teeth — begins at contact area and widens down towards gingiva

• Filled by interdental papillae

Enamel

Tissue covering crown of the tooth; hardest substance in the body

Epithelial attachment

Base of sulcus where epithelial tissue is attached to tooth

Facial

Towards lips or cheeks

• Buccal — cheeks

• Labial — lips

Fissure

Natural groove in tooth

Fossa

Shallow depression in tooth

Furcation

Multi—rooted teeth, area where roots divide

Gingiva

Tissue that surrounds the teeth, aka gums

Groove

Depression in tooth that is narrow and linear

Incisal

Towards the cutting edge of the anterior teeth — opposite of apex of tooth

Interdental

Space between 2 adjacent teeth

Interproximal

Surface between the 2 adjacent teeth

Keratinized

Firm stippled texture — like tissue of attached gingiva

Lateral

Sides

Lingual

Towards tongue

Mandibular

Lower jaw

Maxillary

Upper jaw

Mesial

Surface of the tooth facing towards the midline of the face

Midline

Imaginary line that divides the body into equal right and left halves

Mucogingival junction

Area where mucosa meets attached gingiva

Occlusal

Chewing surface of posterior (back) teeth

Occlusion

term to define how upper and lower teeth meet when closing the jaws

Palate

Roof of mouth— hard and soft palate

Papillae

Small projection of tissue — often nipple like

Periapical

Around apex of tooth

Periodontal ligaments

Thin fibers connecting tooth to bone

Peridontium

Surrounding supporting structures of the teeth

Posterior

Towards back of mouth, behind

Pulp

Most iner part of tooth, contains blood vessels and nerves

Quadrant

Mouth divided into 4 quadrants

• 2 maxillary

• 2 mandibular

Ridge

Rounded, elevated, linear area on enamel of tooth

• There are 5 types of ridges on teeth

  • Marginal

  • Triangular

  • Oblique

  • Transverse

  • Cingula

Succedaneous

Permanent teeth that replace the 20 primary teeth

Sulcus

Formed by free gingiva (non attached) lying nxt to tooth

• Trough area, also known as gingiva crevice

Ventral

Towards bottom surface; underside of tooth is — ventral surface
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Bone structures of the face

Everything below this point

Ethmoid

Midline cranial bone

Frontal

Bone that forms the forehead

Lacrimal

Paired bones that form the wall of the orbit

Mandible

Bone that forms the lower jaw

Maxilla

Bone that forms the upper jaw

Nasal

Paired bones that form the bridge of the nose

Occipital

Bone that forms the posterior portion of the head

Parietal

Paired bones at the top of the skull. They articulate with each other and other bones in the skull

Sphenoid

Midline bone that has several processes (bone areas or plates) associated with it

Temporal

Paired bones that form the lateral walls of the skull and articulate with the mandible at the temporomandibular joint

Zygomatic

Paired facial bones that form the cheeks

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Facial landmarks

everything below this point

Ala

Wing of the nose

Inner canthus of the eye

The inner corner of the eye

Labial commissures

Corners of the mouth

Labiomental groove

Area that separates the lower lip and the chin

Naris

Nostril

Nasal septum

Vertical separation of the nasal cavity

Nasiolabial sulcus

Groove that runs upward from the commissures of the mouth and the ala of the nose

Nasion

Midline junction between the eyes just below the eyebrows

Outer canthus of the eye

The outer corner of the eye

Philtrum

Vertical groove or depression in the midline above the upper lip

Tragus

Triangle flap of cartilage that is at the external opening of the ear

Tubercle of the lip

Midline of the upper lip that has a small tissue projection

Vermillion border

Where the skin and lips meet

Vermillion zone

The reddish portion of the lips

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Landmarks of the oral cavity

Tissues and structures below this point

Fauces

Passageway from oral cavity to pharynx

Frenum

Raised folds of tissue that extend from the alveolar and the buccal and labial mucosa

Gingiva

Mucosal tissue surrounding portions of the maxillary and mandibular teeth and bone

Hard palate

Anterior portion of the palate which is formed by the processes of the maxilla

Incisive papilla

A tissue projection that covers the incisive foramen on the anterior of the hard palate, just behind the maxillary central incisors

Maxillary tuberosity

A bulge of bone posterior to the most posterior maxillary molar

Maxillary/Mandibular tori

Normal bony enlargements that can occur either on the maxilla or mandible

Mucosa

Mucous membrane lines the oral cavity. It can be highly keratinized (such as what covers the hard palate), or lightly keratinized (such as what covers the floor of the mouth and the alveolar processes) or thinly keratinized (such as what covers the cheeks and inner surfaces of the lips

Palatine rugae

Firm ridges of tissues on the hard palate

Parotid papilla

Slight fold of tissue that covers the opening to the parotid gland on the buccal mucosa adjacent to maxillary first molars

Pillars of Fauces

Two arches of muscle tissue that defines the fauces

Soft palate

Posterior portion of the palate. This is non-bony and is comprised of soft tissue

Sublingual folds

Small folds of tissue in the floor of the mouth that cover the openings to the smaller ducts of the sublingual salivary gland

Submandibular gland

Located near the inferior border of the mandible in the submandibular fossa

Tonsils

Lymphoid tissue located in the oral pharynx

Uvula

A non-bony, muscular projection that hangs from the midline at the posterior of the soft palate

Vestibule

Space between the maxillary or mandibular teeth, gingiva, cheeks and lips

Wharton’s duct

Salivary duct opening on either side of the lingual frenum on the ventral surface of the tongue

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Tongue landmarks

everything beyond this point

Apex of the tongue

The tip of the tongue

Circumvallate papillae

Two v-shaped rows of larger, flat, cup shaped papillae on the posterior dorsum of the tongue. Each contains taste buds

Dorsal surface

The top surface of the tongue

Filiform papillae

Fine, small, cone shaped papillae covering most of the dorsum of the tongue. They are responsible for giving the tongue its texture and are responsible for the sensation of touch