dentalanatomy

Dental anatomy is the study of the structure of teeth and the surrounding supporting tissues. A typical tooth comprises a crown, covered by enamel, and a root, covered by cementum, joined at the cementoenamel junction. Hard tissues include enamel, dentin, and cementum; the soft tissue inside is the dental pulp with nerves and blood vessels. The periodontium supports the tooth and includes the gingiva, periodontal ligament, cementum, and alveolar bone.

Enamel is the highly mineralized, protective outer layer. Dentin lies beneath enamel and cementum and forms most of the tooth’s bulk; it contains dentinal tubules. The pulp chamber and root canals house nerves and vasculature and are responsible for dentin formation via tubule stimuli.

Teeth are classified by function and position: incisors (cutting), canines (tearing), premolars and molars (grinding). Surfaces are named buccal or labial, lingual or palatal, mesial, and distal. Occlusal surfaces are the chewing surfaces of posterior teeth; incisal edges are the cutting edges of anterior teeth. Morphology includes cusps, ridges, grooves, and fossae.

In humans, dentition is diphasic: deciduous (20 teeth) and permanent (32 teeth). Each tooth consists of crown and root(s), with some teeth having multiple roots. The root canal system contains nerves and vessels, important in endodontics.

Development begins with the dental lamina and proceeds through bud, cap, and bell stages, forming the enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac. The enamel organ forms enamel; the dental papilla forms dentin and pulp; the dental sac forms cementum and periodontal tissues. Variations include agenesis, supernumerary teeth, and root morphology differences.