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The tooth is an essential part of the human body. There are different parts of teeth. It is important to know about these parts of teeth and their functions.
From biting and chewing to giving that beautiful smile on your face, teeth serve as an unavoidable part of the human body. Just like your fingerprint, your teeth are also unique.
Be aware of the different parts of teeth and know how to take care of them for maintaining oral health.
Parts of Teeth
A tooth consists of three parts. There are two major parts, the crown, and the root, and a minor part called the neck. The different parts of teeth have their own duty.
1. Root
The root consists of a Root Canal, Cementum, Periodontal Ligament1, nerves, and blood vessels, and jawbones.
Cementum is the bone-like substance that covers the root. Made from organic and inorganic materials2, it acts as a medium for attaching the periodontal ligaments to the tooth.
Read more about cementum.
2. Neck
It is between the Crown and Root, the line where Cementum3 coincides with the Enamel. It is also known as the dental cervix. It has three parts: Gum, Pulp, and Pulp Cavity4.
Gums are connective tissues. The Pulp is inside the Pulp Cavity which is made from blood vessels and nerve tissue—the dental Pulp is made from soft tissue, which is the central part of the tooth.
3. Crown
It is part of the teeth that is visible. It has three features: Enamel, Anatomical Crown, and Dentin.
The Enamel of the tooth is the hardest substance in the body. It is highly mineralized. It is one of the major issues that make up the tooth. It is an important layer of a tooth, and its color varies from light yellow to greyish-white.
Made up of calcium and phosphate, Enamel is strong and protects your tooth like a hard shell. Dentin is a connective tissue5 that is in between the Enamel and the pulp cavity. Enamel acts as a guarding layer for the crown.
Read more about Dentin.
Types of Teeth
Apart from the different parts of teeth, there are different kinds of teeth too. Human beings have two sets of teeth: the primary teeth or milk teeth and the permanent teeth.
You can classify teeth into four: Premolars, Molars, Canines, and Incisors.
- Humans have eight Incisors, and they are the teeth in the front region. The function of Incisors is to cut the food.
- Canines are also called cuspids. They are long pointed teeth. There are four Canine teeth, two in the upper jaw and two in the lower jaw, and used for tearing food.
- Premolar teeth are also called bicuspids, and there are eight premolars in the mouth of a human situated between molar teeth and canine teeth.
- The Molar teeth are for grinding the food. They are large and flat. Humans have twelve Molar teeth situated at the back of the mouth.
1) Primary Teeth
The primary teeth or the milk teeth develop from about six months of age. It is commonly known as baby teeth.
Since humans are diphyodonts, the first set of teeth is temporary. This set of teeth is developed during the embryonic stage and erupts during the period of infancy.
The primary teeth get replaced around the age of six, and then permanent teeth appear. Children have 20 primary teeth.
2) Permanent Teeth
There are 32 teeth in an adult human’s mouth. They are in the maxilla and mandible parts of the skull.
The maxillary central incisors, lateral incisors, canines, first molars, second molars, first premolars, second premolars, and third molars make the maxillary teeth.
The mandibular central incisors, lateral incisors, first molars, second molars, third molars, canines, first premolars, and second premolars make the mandibular teeth.
The third molars or wisdom teeth may or may not erupt into the mouth. Slight differences are there between the teeth of males and females.
Teeth Care
Knowing the parts of teeth helps you understand how to take care of them. To keep your smile beautiful and healthy, you need to choose wisely.
Visit the dentist twice a year. Many of your daily habits sometimes cause a lot of problems with different parts of your teeth. Always remember to brush your teeth before going to bed.
Make sure that you are brushing your teeth properly. Replace your toothbrush once every three months and use toothpaste that has fluoride.
Hydrate yourself. Have fresh and crunchy food. It is important to limit sugary and acidic food. Quit smoking and drinking. You need healthy gums for healthy teeth. Therefore check on your gum line and take good care of it.
Following all these can help in protecting all the parts of teeth. Dental care is important, and you should never skip it. Bad teeth can lead to various Enamel, Dentin, and gum diseases.
Every part of the teeth is important and needs care. Otherwise, you will get affected in the long run. Either you look after your teeth well or be ready to face the pain in a dentist’s chair.
Dental Diseases
If you are not taking sufficient care of your teeth, many dental diseases can arise in different parts of your teeth. With necessary oral hygiene, you can avoid many of these issues. A healthy mouth is required to maintain a healthy body.
Sometimes oral conditions are a symptom of other internal illnesses. Find the cause immediately and do the necessary treatment. All the parts of the teeth are vulnerable to damage if you are not taking care of them.
Many dental conditions occur due to smoking, diabetes, increased intake of sugary food, acid reflux, and poor oral hygiene. You can identify many of these issues in a dental exam covering all parts of teeth.
1. Cavities
Dental caries or tooth decay is a typical dental issue that many of us know about. It can lead to the destruction of teeth. It causes pain and infection.
Cavities occur when acid-producing bacteria create damage to the tooth surface. The sugary and acidic food particles which remain in the mouth due to inadequate brushing affect the tooth enamel and lead to the proliferation of bacteria.
You can identify cavities by checking out these symptoms: Swollen gums, sharp pain, sensitivity, and spots on your teeth indicate tooth decay.
2. Bad Breath
Halitosis or bad breath is a dental condition that can arise due to poor oral hygiene, smoking, and respiratory tract infections.
You can identify this condition by the symptoms—foul odor, breath, bitter or metallic taste, dry mouth, and thick saliva show this condition. Bad breath is also a symptom of other teeth diseases.
3. Gum Disease
It is a common disease among adults and occurs in three stages. You can easily treat the initial stage, which is gingivitis. If it is left untreated, it can cause periodontal disease, which is the second stage.
The final stage is advanced periodontal disease, which can cause teeth to fall. Bleeding gums, bad breath, loose teeth, pus development, and swollen gums indicate gum diseases.
4. Dry Mouth
Also known as xerostomia, dry mouth occurs when the salivary glands do not produce enough saliva. As a result, there is less amount of moisture in the mouth.
Chapped lips, bad breath, and mouth sores indicate dry mouth.
5. Root Infection
When a bacteria infects the root of the tooth, a root infection arises. Thus, the bacteria enter the tooth’s center and cause much pain, and then root canal treatment is used to treat it.
6. Oral Cancer
It is the most dangerous dental disease. It initiates a pinkish growth inside the mouth, and it happens mainly due to smoking and consumption of alcohol.
7. Bruxism
This condition happens due to the grinding of your teeth. Ultimately, this leads to damage to the Enamel. Most people do it while sleeping. Tooth loss and jaw damage can also occur.
8. Tooth Impaction
This condition occurs due to the overcrowding of teeth. There won’t be enough space for new teeth to erupt, which is commonly seen in wisdom teeth.
Dental Treatments
There are various treatment options for different parts of teeth. These are all performed by dentists.
1) Root Canal Treatment
Dentists use this method to treat the infection at the center of the tooth. Root Canal Treatment is a time-consuming process.
It is also known as Endodontics, and the dentist removes the infections and then fills the tooth to stop further infections.
2) Tooth Fillings
The decayed portion of the teeth are removed using a drill and then filled with substances like gold, silver, or composite filling material.
3) Crowns
Dentists use a crown or a cap made from acrylic, metal, or porcelain to cover a damaged tooth.
4) Bridges and Implants
When you need to replace a missing tooth, dentists will anchor false teeth. Implants act as an artificial roots for false teeth.
Conclusion – Parts of Teeth
Healthy teeth directly influence our lives. The confidence that you get from a healthy smile is a great asset. Therefore, you should give all parts of your teeth the best care.
The positivity and mindset which you derive from the visual appearance of a beautiful smile can transform your life.
Good oral health has its benefits. Stained teeth often give a bad impression. Make sure that you brush your teeth daily. Also, bad breaths can make you feel embarrassed, so you must provide all parts of your teeth with the best possible care.
FAQs
1. What are the four components of a tooth?
Four dental tissues make up your teeth. Enamel, dentin, and cementum are three of them. The tooth’s pulp, which is made up of nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue, is the fourth tissue and is a soft, non-calcified tissue.
2. What is the name of the teeth?
The four distinct kinds of teeth are incisors, molars, canines, and premolars; however, each type of tooth has a few subcategories, most notably the molars. Baby teeth, often known as “primary teeth,” are present in children but fall out by the age of 12, after which permanent teeth erupt.
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Proofereaded by:
Dr. Foram Bhuta
Dentist (B.D.S)
- Ivanovski, S., et al. “Stem cells in the periodontal ligament.” Oral diseases 12.4 (2006): 358-363. ↩︎
- Ho, Sunita P., et al. “Structure, chemical composition and mechanical properties of coronal cementum in human deciduous molars.” dental materials 25.10 (2009): 1195-1204. ↩︎
- Diekwisch, T. G. “The developmental biology of cementum.” International Journal of Developmental Biology 45.5-6 (2004): 695-706. ↩︎
- Oi, T., H. Saka, and Y. Ide. “Three‐dimensional observation of pulp cavities in the maxillary first premolar tooth using micro‐CT.” International Endodontic Journal 37.1 (2004): 46-51. ↩︎
- Smith, Anthony J., et al. “Dentine as a bioactive extracellular matrix.” Archives of oral biology 57.2 (2012): 109-121. ↩︎
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