Tooth Anatomy and Morphology

• The goal is to recognize dental terminology related to tooth anatomy and morphology.
• Primary and permanent teeth will be introduced, along with their functions and placement.

GDC Learning Outcomes

• How oral diseases relate to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment
• How general and systemic diseases relate to oral health
• Relevant and appropriate dental, oral, craniofacial, and general anatomy and their application to patient management

Intended Learning Outcomes

• Recognize and explain the basic structure of a tooth and its surrounding tissues
• List the functions of teeth
• Describe tooth morphology to recognize landmarks on the tooth surface
• Revise dental notations of primary and secondary teeth used clinically
• Identify different dentitions and associated teeth

Assessment Methods

• Formative assessment includes questions, answers, learning activities, and workbooks
• Summative assessment includes questions in Eassessment

Clinical Skills Laboratory Session Resources

• Primary upper and lower jaws
• Permanent upper and lower jaws

Enamel

• Enamel forms the outer surface of the anatomical crown and is the most densely mineralized and hard.
• Enamel consists of 96% inorganic material and 4% organic material plus water.
• Enamel has a dense mineral content enabling it to resist wear.
• Enamel is thickest at the incisal or occlusal area, and thinnest at the cervical margin.

Periodontal Ligament

• Is a connective tissue that surrounds the root of the tooth
• It occupies the space between the root and the alveolar bony socket, attaching them firmly together
• It consists of fibers connecting the alveolar bone and cementum.
• The periodontal ligament acts as a cushion or shock absorber when teeth are closed together.

Pulp

• Embedded in the dentine walls, is composed of soft, fleshy connective tissue containing nerve fibers, blood vessels, and lymph, entering through the apical foramen
• The portion in the crown is the pulp chamber, and the portion in the root is the root canal.

Gingiva (Gums)

• A tough fibrous layer of connective tissue that covers the bone of both jaws
• Contains blood vessels supplying the bone with nourishment
• The epithelium and outer layer are tightly attached around the necks of the teeth, preventing debris from passing down the tooth's side
• Teeth in a fully developed dentition are shaped and arranged in each arch to deflect food away from gingival tissue, protecting it from injury

Cementum

• A pale, yellowish calcified tissue covering the root of the tooth
• It resembles bone in composition
• Its main function is to attach fibers

Dentine

• Comprises the bulk of the tooth.
• It is tough, slightly elastic, and yellow.
• It can react to injury and stimuli, unlike enamel.
• It can repair itself by laying down a tertiary layer.

Tooth Function

• Specialized functions exist for different types of teeth.
• Consider the number of teeth in each dentition.
• Note where teeth are situated within the arch.
• Know each tooth's specific function.
• Roots and cusps are important details.

Palmer Notation for Primary Dentition

• EDCBA|ABCDE
• EDCBA|ABCDE

Palmer Notation for Permanent Dentition

• 87654321|12345678
• 87654321|12345678

FDI Primary Notation

• 55 54 53 52 51|61 62 63 64 65
• 85 84 83 82 81|71 72 73 74 75

FDI Permanent Notation

• 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11|21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
• 48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41|31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38

Tooth Identification

• Determine if it is a primary or permanent tooth
• Determine if it is an incisor, canine, premolar, or molar
• Determine if it is a maxillary or mandibular tooth
• If it is an incisor, determine whether it is a central or lateral incisor
• If it is a premolar, determine whether it is the first or second premolar
• If it is a molar, determine whether it is the first, second, or third molar -