The Role and Structure of Teeth.
Did you know? Teeth have more than just one role. In addition to breaking down or chewing food, they also play an important roll in speech, specifically helping us to pronounce words. Teeth also contribute to the shape and structure of your face. Your amazing teeth are designed for multiple roles.
When you take a good look at the structure of them, you will quickly see that there is more to a tooth than meets the eye. The visible part of the tooth is only a part of the entire tooth, as the root is completely embedded into the jawbone.
Tooth Structure
A tooth consists of enamel, dentin, cementum, and pulp tissue. The part of the tooth exposed to oral cavity or inside of the mouth is known as the tooth crown. Everything below the crown is called the tooth root. The dental pulp cavity exists in the center of the whole tooth (crown and root) and houses nerve cells which make your teeth sensitive to pressure. To withstand an impact on the tooth and to absorb the force on the jaw, the surface of the tooth root area (cementum) and the alveolar bone are connected by a fibrous tissue called the periodontal ligament. The alveolar bone makes up the foundation for your teeth and the periodontal ligament and gums support it in place.
Did you Know? The crown of the tooth is the only part of the human body that can’t repair itself. Enamel is also the only part of the body that is not a living tissue. Dentin however is alive and communicates with the nerves in your teeth.
Tooth Parts
Enamel is the hardest bodily tissue covering the surface of the dental crown. On the Mohs scale of mineral hardness enamel is a 7 which is comparable to crystal. The Mohs scale goes from 1-10 where Talc is rated 1 and Diamonds are a 10.
Dentin is the living tissue that forms the shape of the tooth from crown to root, situated inside the enamel and cementum. It is less dense and softer than the enamel that protects it.
Cementum is a tissue covering the surface of the tooth root. It connects the alveolar bone with the tooth using the periodontal ligament. Its hardness is similar to bone. The periodontal ligament prevents force applied to the tooth from directly impacting the alveolar bone while chewing food.
Dental pulp houses the nerve cells. Blood vessels and the lymph vessels, as well as nerve fibers, are in the dental pulp, and supply nutrients to the dentin. Nerve cells in the pulp of the tooth connect directly to two main nerves in the face the Supierior Aveolar Nerve, and the Inferior Alveolar Nerve. Learn More about oral nerves.
The Alveolar bone is the jawbone supporting the tooth; the tooth is planted into this bone. The health of this bone has much to do with the stability of the tooth. If the bone structure gets damaged it usually results in loosing the teeth it supports.
Every Tooth Is Different
Of the thirty-two teeth we have there are four different types of teeth. Incisors (8), canine (4), premolars (8), and molars (12). Each tooth is different and has a specific job when it comes to chewing and braking down all kinds of foods.
Did you know? No two people have the same set of teeth; they are as unique as your fingerprint.
At Erbsive Dental we care about your amaizing teeth and treat them with respect. The more we learn about our teeth and their multiple roles, the more we appreciate them. Let us be on your dental maintenance team, and help you keep yours for a lifetime.
