Anatomical Structures of the Teeth

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Anatomical Structures of the Teeth
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• Lobes the separate divisions that come together
  to form a tooth. Often in the molars, the lobes
  become cusps.
• Mamelons three bulges on the incisal edge of
  the newly erupted central incisor. Mamelons
  normally disappear from normal wear.

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• Cusp A pointed or rounded mound on the crown of
  the tooth.
• Cusp of Carabelli A fifth cusp located on the
  mesial lingual surface of most maxillary first
  molars.
• Developmental groove A groove formed by the
  uniting of lobes during development of the crown
  of the tooth,

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• Fissure A developmental groove that has an
  imperfect union where the lobes come together.
• Pit The place where the grooves come together
  or the fissures cross. Decay often begins in the
  pit.
• Fossa A shallow rounded or angular depression.
• Cingulum A convex area on the lingual surface
  of the anterior teeth, near the gingiva.

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• Buccal groove A linear depression forming a
  groove that extends from the middle of the buccal
  surface to the occlusal surface of the tooth.
• Supplemental groove Shallow, linear groove that
  radiates from the developmental groove. It often
  gives the tooth surface a wrinkled look.

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• Apical foramen An opening in the end of the
  tooth through which nerve and blood vessels
  enter. There may be more than one opening at the
  end of the root.
• Furcation The dividing point of a multi-rooted
  tooth.

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• Bifurcated When there are two roots on one
  tooth, they are said to be bifurcated, or
  branched in two.
• Trifurcated Where there are three roots coming
  from the main trunk of the tooth.

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• Ridge A linear elevation of enamel found on the
  tooth.
• Marginal ridge Elevated area of enamel that
  forms the mesial and distal borders of the
  lingual surface of the anterior teeth and the
  mesial and distal borders of the occlusal surface
  of the posterior teeth.
• Oblique ridge Elevated area of enamel that
  extends obliquely across the occlusal of the
  tooth.

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• Trifurcated ridge The union of two triangular
  ridges that produce a single ridge of elevation
  across the occlusal surface of the posterior
  tooth.
• Triangular ridge A ridge or an elevation that
  descends from the cusp and widens as it runs down
  to the middle area of the occlusal surface.

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• Proximal contact area the areas on the surface
  of the teeth where the proximal surfaces touch
  one another.
• Interproximal spaces triangular-shaped spaces
  between the teeth formed by the bone on one side
  and the proximal surfaces and their contact area
  on the other side.

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• Embrasure spaces between the teeth that are
  occlusal to the contact areas. They allow for
  the passage of food around the teeth so that food
  is not forced into the contact area between the
  teeth.
• Diastema spaces between the teeth.
• Primate spaces spaces that occur in primary
  dentition as the maxilla and mandible grow which
  allows for the larger permanent teeth to erupt.

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• Endentulous without teeth or an area without
  the presence of teeth.

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Keywords

• Lobe
• Mamelon
• Cusp
• Cusp of Carabelli
• Groove
• Developmental groove
• Fissure
• Pit
• Fossa
• Cingulum
• Endentulous

• Apical foramen
• Furcation
• Bifurcation
• Trifurcation
• Ridge
• Marginal ridge
• Proximal Contact
• Primate spaces
• Interproximal spaces
• Embrasure
• Diastema