Tooth Anatomy

maxilla

upper jaw

made up of many bones

mandible

lower jaw

connected to maxilla by the temporomandibular joint TMJ

roof of the mouth consists of what

hard and soft palate

pulp

• located at center of tooth, consists of connective tissue, nerves and blood vessels

• most of these nerves and blood vessels enter through the apex

  • cells lining the pulp are called odontoblasts which form dentin

dentin

• bulk of the tooth

• surrounds the pulp

• hard as bone, softer than enamel

• can detect heat, touch, and cold

what is the difference between primary and secondary dentin

primary: formed before tooth eruption

secondary: continually formed throughout the life of the tooth

what happens to the pulp chamber as the secondary dentin forms

it reduces in size

what is the dentin of the crown encased in

enamel

what is the dentin of the root covered by

cementum

what is enamel

• hardest tissue

• formed before tooth eruption

• susceptible to chipping

what happens to the enamel just before a tooth erupts through the gums

the formation of enamel stops is lost gradually over the life of the tooth

what is the alveolar bone

forms the jaw and the sockets into which the roots of the teeth extend

what are periodontal ligaments

tough tissue that helps hold the tooth in the socket

attaches to the cementum of the tooth and alveolar bone

what is gingiva

• the gums

• covers rest of the peridontum

• directed attached to the tooth which is why it can withstand the forces of chewing

what is the sulcus

the area between the free gingiva and the tooth

what is a pocket

the space between the free gingiva and the tooth

lateral canal

very small channel that connects the root pulp to the periodontal tissue through which small blood vessels run

what is cementum

• hard calcified tissue that covers the dentin of the root

  • slowly foirmed throughout the life of the tooth

    • assists in supporting the tooth in the jaw and in root repair

coronal

towards the crown

apical

towards the apex

buccal

towards the cheek

labial

towards the lips

lingual

towards the tongue

palatal

towards the palate

mesial

towards midline

distal

away from midlines

supragingival

above gingiva

subgingival

below gingiva