1. Structure of tooth:
- A tooth consists of the portion that projects above the gum called crown and the root that is made up of two or three projections which are embedded in gum.
- A short neck connects the crown with the root.
- The crown is covered by the hardest substance of the body called enamel which is made up of calcium phosphate and calcium carbonate.
- Basic shape of tooth is derived from dentin which is a calcified connective tissue.
- The dentin encloses the pulp cavity. It is filled with connective tissue pulp. It contains blood vessels and nerves.
- Pulp cavity has extension in the root of the tooth called root canal.
- The dentin of the root of tooth is covered by cementurn which is a bone like substance that attaches the root to the surrounding socket in the gum.
2. Human dentition is described as thecodont, diphyodont and heterodont.
3. It is called the codont type because each tooth is fixed in a separate socket present in the jaw bones by gomphosis type of joint.
4. It is called diphyodont type because we get only two sets of teeth, milk teeth and permanent teeth.
5. It is called heterodont type because humans have four different type of teeth like incisors, canines, premolars and molars.
