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 jawCentral Incisor –first tooth on either side of

center line of face Lateral Incisor – second tooth from center line

of faceCanine – 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

TonsilUvula TongueGingiva (Gums)

Oral Anatomy

Tonsil – mass of special lymph tissueUvula – small tissue projecting in the middle

of palate in throat Tongue – organ of speech and tasteGingiva (Gums) – the tissue that surrounds the

tooth

Tooth Anatomy

CrownNeckRootEnamelDentinPulpCementumPeriodontal MembraneNerve 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 CreviceAlveolar BonePeriodontal Ligament

Gum Anatomy

Gingiva (gum) – soft tissue covering the jaw bones and surrounding the teethGingiva Crevice – soft tissue going down into theupper part of the tooth socketPeriodontal Ligament - the fibrous, net-like tendon that holds our teeth in their socketsAlveolar Bone - can best be described as a thin layer of compact bone that forms the tooth socketsurrounding the roots of teeth

Professional Dental Examination

Tooth decay is one of the most common of alldisorders, second only to the common cold

Regular dental visits are essential for maintaining healthy teeth and gums

The cleaning/prophylaxis is performed by adentist or dental hygienist

Professional Dental Examination

Plaque – a thin transparent film on the toothsurface, 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 formsalong the gum line produces toxins that cause redness, swelling and bleeding of thegums which is a condition known as gingivitis

PeriodontitisIf left untreated, gingivitis can progress to a more advanced stage of gum disease called periodontitis

Professional Dental Examination

Calculus – any abnormal stony mass or depositformed 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

ProphylaxisScaling is performed using hand tools instruments or the ultrasonic prophylaxis to remove calculus from the teeth

PolishingPolishing with a special paste by means of adental handpiece removes remaining plaque and stains

Fluoride and Tooth DecayTooth enamel is the very hard outer layer covering your teeth and consists of many closely-packed rods made of mineralsWhen you eat, acid (plaque) forms on the outside of the tooth and seeps into the enamel’srodsDecayThis demineralizationprocess can produce aweak spot on the tooth’ssurface which can leadto decay

Fluoride and Tooth DecayFluoride helps prevent tooth decay by slowing the breakdown of enamel and speeding up the natural remineralization processCommon sources of fluoride Fluoridated water Toothpaste Mouth rinse

If you happen to live in an area where thewater does not have enough fluoridation yourdentist can provide fluoride gels, rinses, dropsand tablet supplements

Dental SpecialtiesDentist: a person whose profession is the careof 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 concernedwith diseases of the bone and tissue supportingthe teethEndondontic: the branch of dentistry that treats disorders of the pulp and performs root-canalOral Surgeon – the branch of dentistry dealingwith the surgical treatment of disorders anddisease of the teeth, gums, and jawPediadontic – the branch of dentistry dealingwith the care and treatment of children’s teeth