Teeth Anatomy

TEETH ANATOMY


Even though the mouth is a small part of out body, it is vital for many functions including eating, drinking, speaking and of course smiling. Here is a summary of the important players in your mouth
Incisors
These teeth are sharp and chisel shaped and designed for cutting into food. 


Canines
Or cuspids theses teeth are usually sharp and designed to tear food apart. When someone grinds their teeth, these are usually the first ones to wear down.


Premolars
Or bicuspids, they have 2 pointy cusps on the chewing part and are designed to crush and tear food.


Molars
These have  4 or 5 cusps and are used for grinding up food.


Crown
This is the part of the tooth you see, the rest is hidden under the gum 


Gum line
This is where your tooth and gum meet and is the critical area for cleaning. Often gum and decay problems can start here due to insufficient cleaning.


Root
The part of the tooth you don’t see as it is hidden under the gum line. It is imbedded in the jaw bone and hold the tooth in place.


Enamel
It is the outer layer of the tooth and is highly mineralized to resist decay, in fact it is the hardest part of the body. Incorrect cleaning and diet can cause decay in enamel.


Dentin
This is the layer directly under the enamel and is protecting the nerve of the tooth. A toothache usually occurs when decay passes through the enamel and start to eat away at the softer dentine.
Pulp
This is in the centre of the tooth and comprises of nerves and blood vessels. If the decay reached the nerve it may require a root therapy.
Ian the Mosman Dentist. Dentist Mosman
Image: Pixabay