Definitions

Alveolar process. The bony portion of the jaw that surrounds the roots and
supports the teeth.
Alveolus (plural, alveoli): The bony socket that hosts an individual tooth
Anatomical crown: The part of the tooth which is covered with enamel.
Anatomical root: The part of the tooth which is covered with cementum.
Anterior teeth: The teeth in both arches toward the front of the mouth; the
central incisors, the lateral incisors, and the canines.
Apex: The terminal tip of the root.

Buccal surfaces: The posterior teeth surfaces toward the cheek.

Canine (or cuspid): The third tooth from the midline in each quadrant.
Carabelli (Cusp or Tubercle of): A supplemental cusp on the mesial part of
the lingual surface of permanent maxillary first and second molars.
Cementoenamel junction (or CEJ or cervical line or cemento-enamel
junction or cervix or neck): The border between cementum and enamel, or
the anatomical crown and the anatomical root, on the external surface of a
tooth.
Cementum: The hard tissue covering the dentin of the anatomical root of a
tooth.
Cingulum (plural, cingula): The lobe encompassing the cervical third of the
lingual surface of all anterior teeth.
Contact area: The portion of the mesial or distal surface of a tooth that
contacts the adjacent tooth in the same arch.
Cusp: An elevation of the occlusal surface of the posterior teeth and the
incisal portion of the canines.
Deciduous (primary) dentition: The twenty teeth of the first dentition: one
central incisor, one lateral incisor, one canine, and two molars per quadrant.
Dentin: The hard tissue which forms the main bulk of the tooth.
Dentinoenamel junction (DEJ): The bi-surface between dentin and enamel
in the anatomical crown of a tooth.
Developmental groove: A groove or line between the primary parts of the
crown or root of a tooth.
Distal: Away from the midline.
Distal surfaces: The surfaces most distant from the midline.
Distolabial / distobuccal: The labial/distal surfaces of the crown most distant
from the midline.
Distolingual: The lingual surfaces of the crown most distant from the midline.

Enamel: The hard, mineralized tissue which covers the dentin of the
anatomical crown of a tooth.
Eruption:
a. Active
The process from the tooth's entry into the oral cavity, to its contact
with an antagonist in the opposing arch.
b. Passive
The process of continuing adaptation of the tooth to the changing
incisal and occlusal relationships.

Exfoliation: The normal process of the complete root resorption of a

deciduous tooth until its loss.
Facial surfaces: Either the labial surfaces of anterior teeth or the buccal
surfaces of posterior teeth.
Fossa (plural, fossae): Central, Lingual, Mesial, Triangular. An irregular
depression or concavity on the crown of a tooth.

Groove
a. Developmental (primary)
A line denoting the fusion of the lobes of the crown of a tooth.
b. Supplemental (secondary)
A swallower groove which parts from a developmental groove and its
location is not related to the fusion of lobes.
Hard tissues: Enamel, cementum, and dentin.

Incisal edge: The biting edge of anterior teeth.

Incisal ridge: The incisal porion of a newly erupted incisor.
Incisor: The first (central incisor) and second (lateral incisor) tooth closest to
the midline in each quadrant.

Labial / buccal: Toward the lips.

Lingual / palatal: Toward the tongue/palate.
Lingual surfaces: The surfaces of the mandibular teeth which are toward the
tongue.
Lobe: A primary segment of formation in the development of the crown.

Mandibular: Located at the lower jaw (mandible).

Marginal ridges: Linear enamel elevations found on the mesial and distal
end of the occlusal surfaces of posterior teeth and lingual/palatal surfaces of
anterior teeth.
Mastication: The process by which food is crushed and ground by teeth.
Maxillary: Located at the upper jaw (maxilla).
Mesial: Toward the midline.
Mesial surfaces: The surfaces toward the midline.
Mesiolabial / mesiobuccal: The labial/ buccal surfaces toward the midline.
Mesiolingual: The lingual surfaces toward the midline.
Midline / Median line: The imaginary vertical line that divides the body into
right and left halves.
Mixed dentition: The transitional period when both deciduous and permanent
teeth are present.
Molar: The sixth (first molar), seventh (second molar), and eighth (third molar)
teeth from the midline in each quadrant.

Oblique ridge: A ridge crossing obliquely the occlusal surface of maxillary

molars from the distobucccal to mesiolingual cusps.
Occlusal surfaces: The surfaces of the premolars and molars that come in
contact (occlusion) with those in the opposite jaw during the closing of the
mouth.
Occlusion: The state of contact of between the maxillary and mandibular
teeth.
Permanent dentition: The thirty-two teeth of the second dentition: one
central incisor, one lateral incisor, one canine, two premolars, and three
molars per quadrant.
Pit: Small pinpoint depressions located at the junction or terminals of
developmental grooves.
Posterior teeth: The teeth in both arches toward the back of the mouth; the
premolars, and the molars.
Premolar: The fouth (first premolar), and fifth (second premolar) teeth from
the midline in each quadrant.
Proximal surfaces: The surfaces between two adjacent teeth in the same
dental arch: the mesial and distal surfaces.
Pulp / root canal: The part of the pulp cavity, which is found in the root(s) of
the tooth.
Pulp cavity: The entire internal cavity of a tooth, which accommodates the
pulp.
Pulp chamber: The part of the pulp cavity which is found in the crown of the
tooth.
Pulp horn: Pulp tissue in incisal or occlusal projections or prolongations of
the pulp chamber which correspond to cusps or lobes of the teeth.

Quadrant: The two theoretically equal halves of each arch divided by the
midline: maxillary (upper) right, maxillary (upper) left, mandibular (lower) right,
mandibular (lower) left.

Ridges: Linear elevations on the surfaces of the crowns, named according to

their location.
Soft (tissue pulp): The soft tissue inside the pulp cavity of a vital tooth. It
consists of blood vessels and nerves.
Succedaneous teeth: The twenty permanent teeth of both dental arches
(incisors, canines, and premolars) succeeding the exfoliated deciduous teeth.
Sulcus: A long depression on the occlusal surface of a tooth between ridges
and cusps, whose inclines meet at an angle.

Tubercle: An abnormal round or pointed enamel projection on the crown of a

tooth.