FreeMD® Dental Plaque Anatomy

Dental Plaque

Underlying Cause

Anatomy

Dental Plaque Anatomy

To better understand dental plaque, it helps to understand the anatomy of the teeth.

Development:

Primary or baby teeth: 12 total teeth
Permanent or secondary teeth: 32 total teeth

Tooth types:

Incisors: central and lateral incisors cut the food
Cuspids or canines cut and tear food
Pre-molars or bicuspids: shear the food
Molars: grind the food

Parts of a tooth:

Crown: The visible portion of a tooth.
Root: The portion of the tooth embedded in the gum.
Pulp: Located in the center of the tooth, it contains the arteries, veins, nerves and lymphatic tissue.

Layers of a tooth:

Dentin: underlies the enamel on the crown and cementum on the root
Enamel: the outer layer of the crown of the tooth; can be eroded by a cavity
Cementum: The outer layer of tissue covering the dentin on the root of the tooth

Portions of the tooth that hold it in place:

Gingiva: the gums are the soft tissues that surround the base of the tooth
Root canal: The canal in the root of the tooth is where the nerve and blood vessels travel with nutrients to the tooth from the mandible or the maxilla.
Ligament: The connective tissue that surrounds the root of a tooth and connects it to the maxilla or mandible.
Bone: Alveolar bone forms tooth socket and part of the teeth.

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Last Updated: Nov 3, 2008 References

Authors: Stephen J. Schueler, MD; John H. Beckett, MD; D. Scott Gettings, MD

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