MEDLINEplus Health Information: Return to home page   A service of the National Library of Medicine: Go to NLM home page
Search     Advanced Search    Site Map    About MEDLINEplus    Home
Health Topics: conditions, diseases and wellness Drug Information: generic and brand name drugs Dictionaries: spellings and definitions of medical terms Directories: doctors, dentists and hospitals Other Resources: organizations, libraries, publications, MEDLINE

Medical Encyclopedia

Disease     Injury     Nutrition     Poison     Special     Surgery     Symptoms     Tests


Normal tooth development
Tooth anatomy
 
Overview   

Tooth anatomy



Information:

Definition:
The structure of the tooth. Includes: enamel, dentin, gum, pulp, periodontal ligaments, root canal with blood vessels and nerves, socket, and jaw bone.

The visible portion of the tooth is the crown, which is made of enamel. Just beneath the enamel is the dentin, a substance that is harder than bone. The gum surrounds the base of the tooth. The root of the tooth with its blood vessels and nerves extends down into the jaw bone and provides circulation and sensation to the tooth. The socket is the pocket in the bone in which the tooth sits. The jaw bone (the mandible or lower jaw bone and the maxilla or upper jaw bone) is the bone that contains all the teeth and provides stability and mobility for the mouth and teeth for chewing.



Adam

The information provided herein should not be used for diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Copyright 2000 adam.com, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

Health Topics | Drug Information | Dictionaries | Directories | Other Resources