STRUCTURE OF THE TEETH

TISSUES OF THE TOOTH

 Enamel – the hard tissue that
covers the crown portion of
the tooth (hardest substance in
the body).
 Cementum – the substance
covering the root surface of
the tooth.
 Dentin – the material forming
the main inner portion of the
tooth structure.
TISSUES OF THE TOOTH
 Pulp– the vital tissues of the
tooth consisting of nerves,
blood vessels, and
connective tissue.
Pulp chamber – open area
in center of tooth, found
in the crown area; place
for the pulpal tissues.
Pulp canal – small canal
or trench area in the center
of the root, containing the
pulpal vessels.
PARTS OF A TOOTH
 Crown – top portion of the tooth covered by enamel.
 Clinical crown - portion of the tooth that is visible in the
mouth.
 Anatomical crown – the total portion of the crown that is
covered by the emanel.
PARTS OF A TOOTH
 Root – bottom part of the tooth; may be single-, double-,
or triple-root.
 Clinicalroot – portion of the root covered by the gingival
(gum) tissue.
 Anatomical root – total portion of the root covered by the
cementum.
PARTS OF A TOOTH
 Cervix – neck – the
neck of the tooth at
the cementoenamel
junction.
 Apex – the anatomic
area at the end of the
tooth root.
TISSUES SURROUNDING THE TEETH
 Alveolar process – the
extension of the maxilla and
mandible that surrounds and
supports the teeth to form
the dental arches.
 Alveolar bone – the part of
the alveolar process that
lines the bony sockets into
which the roots of the teeth
are embedded.
TISSUES SURROUNDING THE TEETH
 Periodontal ligament – dense connective tissue organized
into fiber groups that connects the cementum covering of
the root of the tooth with the alveolar bone of the socket
wall.
TISSUES SURROUNDING THE TEETH
 Gingiva – the mucous membrane
tissue that immediately surrounds
the tooth.
 Attached gingiva – the portion of
the gingiva extending from the
gingival margin to the alveolar
mucosa.
 Free gingiva – the part of the
gingiva that surrounds the tooth and
is not directly attached to the tooth
surface.