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The anatomy of your teeth

Tue, Jun 22nd 2021, 08:36 AM
Health Nassau Guardian Stories

When you smile, the visible part of the tooth you see is called the crown. Most people refer to the crown as their "tooth", however, the crown is only one half of your tooth's anatomy.

n this column, I address the anatomy of the tooth, and demonstrate how the shape of your individual tooth determines their intended function.
The crown is only the part of the tooth that stands above the gum line. The incisors, molars, and canines all have different functions based upon their shape and size.
Within each crown of the tooth, there are the enamel, dentin, cementum and pulp. The enamel makes up the tough outer coating responsible for protecting the internal structures. Tooth enamel is comprised of calcium phosphate minerals and is the hardest tissue in the human body. Despite being the hardest tissue, it can still be damaged. Enamel does not contain living cells and cannot repair itself. When the enamel is damaged, a dentist is needed to correct the damage. The biting surface of the enamel of the teeth serves as a fingerprint that distinguishes your uniqueness and cannot be duplicated.
Below the enamel, you have dentin, which is composed of several microscopic tiny tunnels (tubes or canals) and minerals. Dentin is nine times softer than enamel. When your tooth’s enamel gets severely damaged, your dentin becomes exposed, causing sensitivity to hot, cold, acidity or sweets. This sensitivity is a result of stimulants traveling through the tiny tunnels directly to the center of your tooth.
The cementum is the hard-connective tissue covering the tooth root that gives attachment to the periodontal ligament (PDL), a system of collagen fibers that forms the joint that connects the root of the tooth to its bony socket. During periodontal disease, this ligament is damaged and destroyed to some degree. With gum treatment, the PDL can be restored if the damage is not too excessive.
The pulp is considered soft tissue and is located at the center of the tooth. It contains nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue. It starts from the center of the crown and extends through the roots, then finally connecting to the bone for nourishment.

In this column, I address the anatomy of the tooth, and demonstrate how the shape of your individual tooth determines their intended function.

The crown is only the part of the tooth that stands above the gum line. The incisors, molars, and canines all have different functions based upon their shape and size.

Within each crown of the tooth, there are the enamel, dentin, cementum and pulp. The enamel makes up the tough outer coating responsible for protecting the internal structures. Tooth enamel is comprised of calcium phosphate minerals and is the hardest tissue in the human body. Despite being the hardest tissue, it can still be damaged. Enamel does not contain living cells and cannot repair itself. When the enamel is damaged, a dentist is needed to correct the damage. The biting surface of the enamel of the teeth serves as a fingerprint that distinguishes your uniqueness and cannot be duplicated.

Below the enamel, you have dentin, which is composed of several microscopic tiny tunnels (tubes or canals) and minerals. Dentin is nine times softer than enamel. When your tooth’s enamel gets severely damaged, your dentin becomes exposed, causing sensitivity to hot, cold, acidity or sweets. This sensitivity is a result of stimulants traveling through the tiny tunnels directly to the center of your tooth.

The cementum is the hard-connective tissue covering the tooth root that gives attachment to the periodontal ligament (PDL), a system of collagen fibers that forms the joint that connects the root of the tooth to its bony socket. During periodontal disease, this ligament is damaged and destroyed to some degree. With gum treatment, the PDL can be restored if the damage is not too excessive.

The pulp is considered soft tissue and is located at the center of the tooth. It contains nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue. It starts from the center of the crown and extends through the roots, then finally connecting to the bone for nourishment.

 

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