Library · Anatomy
Tooth
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A tooth is a calcified structure, meaning it is hardened with minerals such as calcium, and it has two parts. The crown is the part you see when you open your mouth. The root is the part you don't see: it is embedded in the alveolar process, the ridge of bone in the maxilla above or the mandible below.
On the outside, the crown is covered with enamel, the hardest tissue in the entire body. Beneath the enamel is dentin, which can flex and absorb force and so serves as the enamel's base. It is like a rigid shell resting on a cushion that absorbs the force.
At the center of the tooth is the pulp, a tissue that contains blood vessels and nerves. Thanks to the pulp, the tooth has neurosensory function, meaning it can feel sensations, and the potential for repair, the ability to heal itself. Finally, the root is covered with cementum, another dental tissue.
In brief
A tooth is a calcified structure with two parts: the crown, visible in the mouth, and the root, embedded in the alveolar process of the maxilla or mandible.
Enamel, the hardest tissue in the body, covers the crown; beneath it, dentin can flex and absorb force and so serves as the enamel's base.
A rigid shell resting on a shock-absorbing cushion.
At the center, the pulp, with blood vessels and nerves, gives the tooth neurosensory function and the potential for repair. On the outside, cementum covers the root.
Sources (1)
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, StatPearls PublishingAnatomy, Head and Neck, Teeth, StatPearls
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
Updated