Dental Anatomy & Physiology

Anatomy of the Skull Jaw Bone – Maxilla upper – Mandible lower

Oral Anatomy – Teeth Oral anatomy Tooth Central Incisor Lateral Incisor Canine First Premolar Second Premolar First Molar Second Molar Third Molar

Oral Anatomy – Teeth Incisor – four front teeth either jaw Central Incisor –first tooth on either side of center line of face Lateral Incisor – second tooth from center line of face Canine – single tooth separating incisors and molars on both jaws, third tooth from center line of face

Oral Anatomy – Teeth Molars – grinding teeth First Premolar – fourth tooth from centerline of face Second Premolar – fifth tooth from centerline of face First Molar – sixth tooth from centerline of face Second Molar – seventh tooth from centerline of face Third Molar/wisdom tooth – eight tooth from centerline of face

Oral Anatomy Tonsil Uvula Tongue Gingiva (Gums)

Oral Anatomy Tonsil – mass of special lymph tissue Uvula – small tissue projecting in the middle of palate in throat Tongue – organ of speech and taste Gingiva (Gums) – the tissue that surrounds the tooth

Tooth Anatomy Crown Neck Root Enamel Dentin Pulp Cementum Periodontal Membrane Nerve and blood supply

Tooth Anatomy Crown – the part of the tooth you see Neck –the tooth at the gum line Root – part of the tooth connecting to jaw Enamel – the bony covering of the crown Dentin – hard substance surrounding the pulp Pulp – contains nerves for sensing heat cold and pressure and blood vessels for nourishing the tooth

Tooth Anatomy Cementum – sensitive, bonelike structure covering the root Periodontal Membrane – tissue lining tooth socket Nerve and blood supply – feeds nutrients to the pulp provides nerve path ways

Gum Anatomy Gingiva (gum) Gingiva Crevice Alveolar Bone Periodontal Ligament

Gum Anatomy Gingiva (gum) – soft tissue covering the jaw bones and surrounding the teeth Gingiva Crevice – soft tissue going down into the upper part of the tooth socket Periodontal Ligament - the fibrous, net-like tendon that holds our teeth in their sockets Alveolar Bone - can best be described as a thin layer of compact bone that forms the tooth socket surrounding the roots of teeth

Professional Dental Examination Tooth decay is one of the most common of all disorders, second only to the common cold Regular dental visits are essential for maintaining healthy teeth and gums The cleaning/prophylaxis is performed by a dentist or dental hygienist

Professional Dental Examination Plaque – a thin transparent film on the tooth surface, containing much bacteria, if not removed it forms tartar Uses sugar and other carbohydrates to form acids which deteriorates tooth enamel which leads to cavities

Plaque/Tartar that forms along the gum line produces toxins that cause redness, swelling and bleeding of the gums which is a condition known as gingivitis Periodontitis If left untreated, gingivitis can progress to a more advanced stage of gum disease called periodontitis

Professional Dental Examination Calculus – any abnormal stony mass or deposit formed in the body, as in the kidney or gallbladder, or on teeth, advanced stage of tartar The result of minerals (example: various salts, such as calcium phosphate, dental calculus) in saliva combining with plaque to form a rough deposit on the teeth

Calculus Your toothbrush and dental floss cannot remove calculus once it has formed; it can only be removed during a regular dental prophylaxis or cleaning. Individuals vary greatly in their susceptibility to plaque and calculus For many, these deposits build up faster as we age.

Prophylaxis/Cleaning Scaling and polishing procedure performed to remove normal plaque, calculus and stains on teeth While the main objective of prophylaxis is to prevent gum disease it can also improve the appearance of teeth

Polishing Prophylaxis Scaling is performed using hand tools instruments or the ultrasonic prophylaxis to remove calculus from the teeth Polishing Polishing with a special paste by means of a dental handpiece removes remaining plaque and stains

Fluoride and Tooth Decay Tooth enamel is the very hard outer layer covering your teeth and consists of many closely-packed rods made of minerals When you eat, acid (plaque) forms on the outside of the tooth and seeps into the enamel’s rods Decay This demineralization process can produce a weak spot on the tooth’s surface which can lead to decay

Fluoride and Tooth Decay Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay by slowing the breakdown of enamel and speeding up the natural remineralization process Common sources of fluoride Fluoridated water Toothpaste Mouth rinse If you happen to live in an area where the water does not have enough fluoridation your dentist can provide fluoride gels, rinses, drops and tablet supplements

Dental Specialties Dentist: a person whose profession is the care of teeth and the surrounding soft tissues including the prevention and elimination of decay, the replacement of missing teeth with artificial ones. Orthodontics: the branch of dentistry concerned with diagnosing, correcting and preventing irregularities of the teeth: Corrects for crowded, misaligned teeth and bite Problems Can be performed on both children and adults

Dental Specialist (cont) Periodontic: the branch of dentistry concerned with diseases of the bone and tissue supporting the teeth Endondontic: the branch of dentistry that treats disorders of the pulp and performs root-canal Oral Surgeon – the branch of dentistry dealing with the surgical treatment of disorders and disease of the teeth, gums, and jaw Pediadontic – the branch of dentistry dealing with the care and treatment of children’s teeth