The Anatomy Of Your Teeth

It’s easy to get lost when dentists start talking about dentin, tooth pulp or cementum. After all, those aren’t words we typically learn in school.

So, to help you better communicate with your dentist, and understand what’s happening with your teeth, we’re going to give you a quick, bullet-point course on the anatomy of a tooth.

Let’s jump in.

Top to bottom

Crown

When most people think of teeth, they’re thinking of the crown. This is the visible part of the tooth that we chew with and show to everyone when we’re happy and smiling.

Root

This is the hidden part of the tooth. It digs deep into the gums to keep your teeth rooted in place so you can chew without worry.

Inside to outside

Enamel

This is the thin covering over our teeth that gives them that bright white shine. It’s also the hardest, naturally-occurring tissue in the human body.

Cementum

This is like enamel for the root of the tooth – the outer covering that coats our teeth below the gumline. It holds the roots securely in place against the gums.

Dentin

Beneath the hard outer shell of enamel is the dentin. This hard tissue makes up most of the volume of the tooth and has tiny tunnels that run through it from the enamel to the nerve.

Pulp

In the centre of the tooth is the pulp. This includes both the nerves that give the tooth feeling and the blood vessels that keep it alive.

Gums

Gingiva

This is the pink tissue that we commonly refer to as our gums. It molds around the roots of our teeth and covers our jawbone.

Alveolar bone (jaw bone)

The bone gives our gums form and allows our mouth to move so we can speak, drink, eat and smile.

Periodontal ligament

These ligaments attach to the cementum and the jaw bone and secure our teeth in place.