ANTH 328 Week 4

Week 4 Agenda

  • Readings: Chapter 5

  • Lecture and Lab: Dentition

  • Quiz 4: Tuesday

Teeth

  • Extremely resistant to physical and chemical destruction.

  • Relatively abundant in anthropology and paleontology.

  • Provide information on:

    • Age

    • Sex

    • Health

    • Diet

    • Evolution

    • Relatedness

Tooth Formation

  • Teeth are formed deep within the jaws.

  • Once nearly fully formed, they erupt through gum tissue.

General Terminology

  • Dentin: Calcified connective tissue.

  • Enamel: Hard and brittle substance covering the crown.

  • Cementum: Covers the tooth root.

  • Dentin: Main structure of the tooth.

  • Pulp: Soft tissue within the tooth containing nerves and blood supply.

  • Cementum Root: Links the tooth to the periodontal membrane.

  • Periodontal membrane: Contains nerves and blood supply.

General Terminology (Detailed)

  • Crown: The visible part above the gum line.

  • Cervix/Neck: Junction between the crown and root.

  • Root: Portion embedded in the jawbone.

  • Pulp cavity/chamber: Contains pulp tissue.

  • Cementoenamel junction (CEJ): Area where enamel meets cementum.

  • Calculus: Hardened dental plaque.

  • Cusp: Pointed or rounded part of the tooth surface.

  • Nerve and blood supply: Critical for tooth vitality.

  • Fissure/Groove: Natural grooves on the tooth surface.

  • Supernumerary: Extra teeth beyond the normal count.

Dental Directions

  • Median line: Midline dividing the mouth into left and right.

  • Buccal: Toward the cheek.

  • Labial: Toward the lips.

  • Lingual: Toward the tongue.

  • Mesial: Toward the midline of the dental arch.

  • Distal: Away from the midline.

  • Interproximal: Between adjacent teeth.

  • Occlusal: Chewing surface of the teeth.

  • Mandible: Lower jaw.

Dental Formula

  • Deciduous (primary, "milk") teeth: 2-1-2 pattern.

  • Adult human dentition formula: 2-1-2-3

    • 3rd Molar or Wisdom Tooth (8)

    • 2nd Molar (7)

    • Lower 1st Molar (6)

    • etc.

Identification of Teeth

  • Categories of teeth include incisor, canine, etc.

  • Determine if the tooth is: deciduous or permanent, upper or lower, position (1st, 2nd, 3rd), and right or left side.

  • Examples:

    • Right permanent 1st maxillary molar = RM1

    • Left deciduous second mandibular incisor = Ldi2

Incisor(s)

  • Shape: Spatulate with a sharp, thin cutting edge.

  • Function: Used to nip or bite food into manageable pieces.

Canine(s)

  • Shape: Conical structure, designed for tearing food.

Premolar(s)

  • Designed for crushing and grinding food.

  • Positioning and structure include:

    • Buccal, Lingual, Occlusal, Mesial, and Distal surfaces.

Molar(s)

  • Evolved for heavy grinding and crushing of food.

  • Structure: Similar to premolars with multiple cusps.

  • Important position references include:

    • Maxillary Right First Permanent Molar

    • Mandibular Right First Permanent Molar

    • etc.

Week 4 Activity

  • Activity: Get to know your teeth by examining them using a mirror.

  • Consider using a second small mirror or flashlight for better visibility.

  • Record each tooth present using a provided tooth chart, starting from upper right quadrant around to lower right.

  • Submit a list of present tooth numbers and letters for retained deciduous teeth, or circle relevant numbers on the chart.