Teeth

teeth and digestion

• Teeth are accessory digestive organs

• They are responsible for beginning the mechanical digestion process.

types of teeth

• Incisors- used for cutting pieces of food

• Canines (cuspids) – tear and pierce

• Premolars (bicuspids)- used for crushing

• molars (tricuspids)- used for grinding

anatomy (crown —> root)

• Enamel- hard, protects too

• dentin- calcified connective tissue

• pulp cavity - contains blood vessels and nerves

• Gingivae (gum)- provide steel around tooth

• cementum- covers the Denton in the root

• bone

• artery and veins

children vs adult teeth

• Toddlers have only 20 teeth, compared to adults 32

• The incisors come first (6 to 8 months) followed by the canines and molars

• Even after these teeth or replaced with permanent teeth, molars come in during teens and early 20s