TOOTH MORPHOLOGY

1 YEAR BDS
ST

INTRODUCTION AND NOMENCLATURE

Dr Faiza Gulfam
 INTRODUCTION
 Teeth are arranged in upper and lower arches
 Teeth in the upper arch are called maxillary
 Teeth in the lower arch are called mandibular
 Midline:Imaginary vertical line which divides
each arch as well as body into two approx.
equal halves
 This vertical division is not one dimensional
line , rather a two dimensional plane (mid-
sagittal plane)
 Quadrants: two approx. equal portions of each arch
divided by midline
 Four quadrants in entire mouth. Termed as:
1. Maxillary(upper)right
2. Maxillary(upper)left
3. Mandibular(lower)right
4. Mandibular(lower)left
Important Note:

As one looks directly at the oral cavity (or the body) from
the front, the anatomical directions of right and left are
reversed. Hence, the right side of the mouth is actually to
the left of the viewer, while the left side of the mouth is to
the right of the viewer.
 Occlusion: Manner in which mandibular teeth contact
maxillary teeth

 Mastication: Term for process for biting or chewing of

food
Classification of Dentitions

 TYPE
• Human dentition is termed as: Heterodont
• It is comprised of different types , or classes, of teeth to
perform different functions in the mastication process.
• Homodont : All of the teeth are in same form and type.
 NUMBER OF SETS
• Diphypodont : Two different sets of teeth or
dentitions.
• Monophypodont : Only one set of teeth.
• Polyphypdont : When more than two, or continuous,
sets of teeth are developed throughout life.
 AGE
• In humans two dentitions are present:
1. Deciduous (primary)
2. Permanent (secondary)

o Transitional phase when both

deciduous and permanent teeth are
present is called mixed dentition
period.
Deciduous Dentition

 So named because they are shed like the

leaves of deciduous trees in autumn.
 Erupts from about 6 months to 2 years of
age
 20 total deciduous teeth
 Other non-scientific names for deciduous
teeth include “milk teeth”, “baby” teeth,
and “temporary” teeth.
Permanent Dentition

 Teeth of second, or adult dentition

 There are 32 permanent teeth

 Erupt from 6-21 years of age

Classification of teeth(permanent) :

Tooth Name Position Function Number

Incisors Central Two teeth of Biting, 08

& lateral each cutting,
incisors quadrant incising &
which are shearing
closest to
midline
Canine Canine 3rd tooth from Cutting, 04
(cuspid) midline in tearing,
each piercing &
quadrant holding
Tooth Name Position Function No

Premolars 1st & 2nd 4th and Tearing, 08

(bicuspid) premolar 5th teeth holding &
s from grinding
midline
Molars 1st ,2nd & 6th, 7th , Grinding 12
3rd 8th teeth
molars from
midline
PERMANENT TEETH
Classification of teeth (primary):

Tooth Name Position Function No.

Incisors Central and Two teeth of Biting, 08
lateral each cutting,
incisors quadrant incising &
which are shearing
closest to mid
line
Canine Canine 3rd tooth from Cutting, 04
midline in tearing,
each piercing &
quadrant holding
Molars 1st and 2nd 4th tooth from Grinding 08
molars midline
DENTITION PERIOD :

Dentition Age Teeth present

Primary dentition 6 months to 6 Only primary teeth
period years of age
Mixed dentition 6 years to 12 years Both primary &
period of age permanent teeth
Permanent 12 years of age & Only permanent
dentition period continues rest of teeth
life
Succedaneous Teeth:

 Simply mean “succeeding”

deciduous teeth.

 Twenty deciduous teeth to

be replaced, there must be
twenty succedaneous
teeth.
 Incisors and canines –
replace their counter parts.
 Premolars – which replace deciduous molars

 Molars are not considered as succedaneous

teeth
Thank you !
TOOTH MORPHOLOGY
1 YEAR BDS
ST

INTRODUCTION AND NOMENCLATURE - 2

Dr Faiza Gulfam
Dental formulae
I 2/2 C1/1 M2/2 (x2=20) Primary Dentition

I 2/2 C1/1 P2/2 M3/3 (x2=32) Permanent Dentition

 Indicates dentition of only 1 side of the mouth

includes both upper and lower quadrant
 When multiplied by a factor of 2 it provides
number of teeth in entire dentition
Eruption pattern
Tooth numbering systems
 Tooth numbering system or “shorthand” system of tooth notation is
necessary in clinical practice for recording data and communication
 The various tooth notation systems are as follows:
1. Universal notation system
2. Palmer notation method
3. FDI system
1. Universal Numbering system

It employs a different number (1-32) in a

consecutive arrangement for all permanent teeth, and
a number-letter (ld-20d) for each of the deciduous
teeth.
 Perm Maxillary teeth – 1 to 16 (starts with
right 3rd molar)

 Perm Mandibular teeth – 17 to 32 (starts from

lower left 3rd molar)
Primary teeth -
1d 2d 3d 4d 5d 6d 7d 8d 9d 10d

20d 19d 18d 17d 16d 15d 14d 13d 12d 11d

Primary maxillary right canine: #3d

Permanent teeth:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 3 14 15 16

32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17

Permanent maxillary left 1st premolar : # 12

2. Palmer notation system

 Permanent Dentition
• It uses a different symbol for each quadrant
• In addition a number from 1- 8 , to identify permanent
central incisor through third molar in the specified
quadrant
 Deciduous Dentition
• Letters A through E, with the quadrant symbol, are used
for the deciduous dentition.
Deciduous Dentition
Permanent teeth:
8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 1 2 3 4 56 7 8
87654321 12345678
3. FDI (Federation Dentaire Internationale)
 Two digit system

 First digit indicates the quadrant and the second

digit indicates the tooth within the quadrant

 1 to 4 and 5 to 8 as the first digit indicates

permanent and primary dentition respectively

 1 to 8 and 1 to 5 as the second digit indicates

permanent and primary teeth respectively.
 Primary teeth- R L
55 54 53 52 51 61 62 63 64 65
85 84 83 82 81 71 72 73 74 75

 Permanent teeth-
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 36 38
General Oral And Dental Anatomy :
A . Dental Structures:

• Anatomical crown: Portion of tooth which is covered by

enamel.

• Clinical crown: Portion of tooth which is visible in the

mouth.
Clinical crown may or may not correspond to anatomical
crown, depending on level of soft tooth tissue & may also
include a portion of anatomical root.
• Anatomical root : Portion of tooth which is covered with
cementum
• Clinical root : Portion of tooth which is not visible in mouth.
Clinical root is an ever changing entity, and may or may not ,
correspond to anatomical root.
TOOTH MORPHOLOGY
1 YEAR BDS
ST

INTRODUCTION AND NOMENCLATURE - 3

Dr Faiza Gulfam
 Enamel

• Hard, mineralized tissue which covers

dentin of anatomical crown of a tooth
• Hardest body tissue
 Dentin

• Hard tissue which forms the bulk of the

tooth
• Surrounds the pulp cavity
• Covered by enamel in anatomical crown
and by cementum in anatomical root.
 Cementum
• Layer of hard, bone like tissue
• Covers the dentin of anatomical root of a tooth.
 Cervical line :
• Identifiable line around the external surface of a
tooth where the enamel and cementum meet
• Cervical line separates anatomical crown and
anatomical root
• Cemento-enamel junction or CEJ
• Also referred to as neck or cervix of the tooth
 Dentino-enamel junction or DEJ
• Internal line of meeting of dentin
and enamel in anatomical crown of
a tooth.
 Pulp

• Living soft tissue which occupies

pulp cavity of a vital tooth
• Contains tooth’s blood vessels &
nerve supply
 Pulp cavity : entire internal
cavity of a tooth which
contains the pulp & consists
of following entities:
a) Pulp canal(s) : Portion of
the pulp cavity which is
located in root(s) of the
tooth (also called the root
canals)
b) Pulp chamber: Enlarged
portion of pulp cavity
which is found mostly in
anatomical crown
c) Pulp horns: Usually
pointed incisal or
occlusal elongations of
pulp chamber which
often correspond to
cusps, or lobes of teeth
Supporting Structures

 Alveolarprocess : Entire
bony entity which surrounds
and supports all teeth in
each jaw

 Alveolus : Bony socket, or

portion of alveolar process,
into which an individual
teeth is set
 Periodontalligament
(membrane): Fibrous
attachment of tooth
cementum to the alveolar
bone.

 Gingiva : “Gum” or “gums” or

fibrous tissue enclosed by
mucous membrane that
covers the alveolar processes
& surrounds necks of teeth
 Anterior Teeth
• Towards front of mouth
• Deciduous and Permanent: Incisors and canines
• 3 per quadrant and 12 total
 Posterior Teeth
• Towards back of mouth
• Deciduous : 2 molars in each quadrant, total 8
• Permanent: premolars and molars , total 20
• 3 per quadrant and 12 total
Surfaces of tooth
Crown of all teeth have 5 surfaces . Anterior
as well as posterior teeth.
 ANTERIOR TEETH

1. Mesial : Surface towards the midline.

2. Distal : Surface away from the midline.
3. Labial : “Outside” surface which is toward
the lips. (surface of incisors & canines
that are towards lips)
4. Lingual / Palatal : Surface facing towards
the tongue. In maxillary arch it is called
the palatal surface
5. Incisal surface : biting edge. In incisors
and canines usually.
POSTERIOR TEETH

a) Mesial, distal and lingual surfaces may

be defined like corresponding surfaces
of anterior teeth.
b) Buccal : Surface of premolars and
molars that face cheek.
c) Occlusal surface : Surface of premolars
and molars that come in contact with
those in opposite jaws during act of
closure are called occlusal surfaces.
Also called as chewing surface.
Proximal surface : any surface between two
teeth
 Distal and mesial surface collectively
called as proximal surface,
Occlusal surface
Proximal surface
TOOTH MORPHOLOGY
1 YEAR BDS
ST

INTRODUCTION AND NOMENCLATURE - 4

Dr Faiza Gulfam
Line Angle

 The line or angle formed

by the junction of two
crown surfaces
Line angles of Anterior Teeth : 8 in number

1. Mesio-labial
2. Disto-labial
3. Mesio-lingual
4. Disto-lingual
5. Labio-incisal
6. Linguo-incisal
7. Mesio-incisal
8. Disto-incisal
Line angles of Posterior Teeth : 8 in number

1. Mesio-buccal
2. Disto-buccal
3. Mesio-lingual
4. Disto-lingual
5. Mesio-occlusal
6. Disto-occlusal
7. Bucco-occlusal
8. Linguo-occlusal
Point Angle

 The point which is the

junction of three crown
surfaces
Point angles of Anterior Teeth

1. Mesio-labio-incisal
2. Disto-labio-incisal
3. Mesio-liguo-incisal
4. Disto-linguo-incisal
Point angles of Posterior Teeth

1. Mesio-bucco-occlusal
2. Disto-bucco-occlusal
3. Mesio-linguo-occlusal
4. Disto-linguo-occlusal
Thirds of Tooth
 To make study and communication
easier the crown and root are
divided in three artificial halves both
horizontally and vertically
Division in thirds occluso-gingivally
(crown)
1. Cervical third
2. Middle third
3. Incisal / occlusal third
Division in thirds mesio-distally(crown)
 Crown when viewed front:
1. Mesial third
2. Middle third
3. Distal third
Division in thirds facio-lingually (crown)
Crown when viewed from the side
1. Facial (Labial/Buccal) third
2. Middle third
3. Lingual third
Thirds of root (Ant +Post)

From any aspect root is divided

into horizontal thirds only
1. Cervical third
2. Middle third
3. Apical third

Cervical thirds of root and crown

are adjacent to each other and
separated by cervical line
Elevations on Tooth surface

1. Cusp : elevated and usually pointed projections of various

size and shapes on crowns of teeth
2. Tubercle :Rounded or pointed projections found on
crown of teeth.
3. Cingulum : Is the lingual lobe of an anterior tooth and
makes up the bulk of cervical third of the lingual
surface
4. Ridge: A linear usually convex elevations on the surface of
a tooth
A. Marginal ridges: Are rounded borders of enamel that form
mesial & distal margins of occlusal surfaces of posterior
teeth & mesial and distal margins of lingual surfaces of
anterior teeth.
B. Triangular ridge: Is a ridge that descends from the tips of
cusp of molars and premolars towards the centre part of
occlusal surface.
C. Transverse ridge: Is formed by union of buccal and lingual
triangular ridges.
D. Oblique ridge: Is a ridge obliquely crossing the
occlusal surfaces of maxillary molars.
E. Cusp ridges
• Each cusp has four cusp ridges extending in different
directions (mesial ,distal, lingual, facial) from its tip.
• They are named by the direction they extend from the cusp
tip.
F. Inclined plane:
• The sloping area found between two cusp ridges.

• Planes are named by combining names of two cusp ridges

between which they lie.

• Each cusp exhibits four inclined planes.

 Mamelons
o Small rounded projections of enamel on incisal edges of
recently erupted incisors
o Wear away during tooth function
 Lobe : One of the primary sections of formation in
development of crown.
• Cusps and mamelons are representative of lobes.
Depressions on tooth surface :
1. Fossa: an irregular depression or concavity on surface of
tooth.
 Groove : Is a shallow linear depression
on the surface of a tooth.
2. A developmental groove is a shallow
groove or line between the primary parts or
lobes of the crown
3. A supplemental groove is an auxiliary
groove which branches from the
developmental groove, not as deep as
developmental groove
4. Pit : A small depressed area where developmental
grooves join or terminate
Usually found in the deepest portion of a fossa.
 Contact area
o The area on the proximal surface of the crown
that contacts the adjacent tooth in the same arch
o It is named according to location mesial or
distal)
o All teeth have two contact areas except the
most distal tooth
Thank you