Dental anatomy

Tooth formation begins before birth, and the teeth's eventual morphology is dictated during this time.

Tooth development is the complex process by which teeth form from embryonic cells, grow, and erupt into the mouth.

A significant amount of research has focused on determining the processes that initiate tooth development.

[3] Additionally, the junction between the dental papilla and inner enamel epithelium determines the crown shape of a tooth.

[2] The dental follicle gives rise to three important entities: cementoblasts, osteoblasts, and fibroblasts.

Fibroblasts develop the periodontal ligaments which connect teeth to the alveolar bone through cementum.

There are several different dental notation systems for associating information to a specific tooth.

[7] The Palmer notation consists of a symbol (┘└ ┐┌) designating in which quadrant the tooth is found (from the dentist's perspective) and a number indicating the position from the midline.

The tooth designated "1" is the right maxillary third molar and the count continues along the upper teeth to the left side.

Then the count begins at the left mandibular third molar, designated number 17, and continues along the bottom teeth to the right side.

As a result, any given tooth has three different ways to identify it, depending on which notation system is used.

Further confusion may result if a number is given on a tooth without assuming (or specifying) a common notation method.

Mesial signifies a surface closer to the median line of the face, which is located on a vertical axis between the eyes, down the nose, and between the contact of the central incisors.

Triangular ridges are those that project from the cusp tips of premolar and molars to the central groove.

The teeth demonstrating the fewest developmental grooves are the mandibular central and lateral incisors.

Embrasures are triangularly shaped spaces located between the proximal surfaces of adjacent teeth.

There are four embrasures for every contact area: facial (also called labial or buccal), lingual (or palatal), occlusal or incisal, and cervical or interproximal space.

The cervical embrasure usually is filled by the interdental papilla from the gingiva; in the absence of adequate gingival tissue a black angle, or Angularis Nigra is visible.

Lastly, they protect the gingiva from undue frictional trauma but also providing the proper degree of stimulation to the tissues.

Since this surface of the tooth is the first to wear away from attrition, mamelons may not be visible on teeth of older people.

The diameter of the crown mesiodistally is greater than the length cervicoincisally, which makes the tooth appear wider rather than taller from a labial viewpoint.

When this tooth is newly erupted into the mouth, the incisal edges have three rounded features called mamelons.

The mandibular central incisor is the tooth located on the jaw, adjacent to the midline of the face.

Both the maxillary and mandibular canines are called the "cornerstone" of the mouth because they are all located three teeth away from the midline, and separate the premolars from the incisors.

The location of the canines reflect their dual function as they complement both the premolars and incisors during chewing.

There is a single cusp on canines, and they resemble the prehensile teeth found in carnivorous animals.

It is the longest tooth in total length, from root to the incisal edge, in the mouth.

The function of this premolar is similar to that of canines in regard to tearing being the principal action during chewing.

The function of this premolar is similar to that of first molars in regard to grinding being the principal action during chewing.

The function of this premolar is similar to that of canines in regard to tearing being the principal action during mastication.