Dental Anatomy Basic Terms

1. – The "neck" of the tooth where the crown meets the root.
6. – The bone-like tissue covering the root of the tooth.
8. – The very tip or end of the tooth root.
9. – The portion of the tooth embedded in the jawbone that anchors the tooth.
12. – The surface of a tooth facing toward the tongue.
14. – The area where a tooth root divides into three distinct branches.
15. – A linear depression or line on the tooth surface.
18. – The tooth surface facing toward the lips (used for anterior teeth).
19. – A small, pinpoint depression where two or more developmental grooves cross.
21. – A broad, shallow depression or concavity on a tooth surface.
23. – The exact point or area where proximal surfaces of two adjacent teeth touch.
24. – The soft, living inner core of the tooth containing nerves and blood vessels.
25. – The biting or cutting edge of anterior teeth.
26. – The dense, mineralized tissue making up the bulk of the tooth, located under the enamel.
27. – Any linear, elevated prominence on the surface of a tooth.
28. – A long, V-shaped depression or valley on the occlusal surface.

2. – The hardest, outermost white surface of the tooth crown.
3. – The chewing surface of posterior teeth.
4. – The surface of the tooth closest to the midline of the dental arch.
5. – The teeth located in the back of the mouth (premolars and molars).
7. – One of three rounded protuberances on the cutting edge of a newly erupted incisor.
8. – The teeth located in the front of the mouth (incisors and canines).
10. – The area where a tooth root divides into two distinct branches.
11. – One-fourth of the dentition (upper right, upper left, lower right, lower left).
13. – The visible portion of the tooth covered by enamel.
16. – The surface of the tooth farthest away from the midline of the dental arch.
17. – A deep ditch or groove caused by imperfect fusion of enamel lobes.
20. – The tooth surface facing toward the cheeks (used for posterior teeth).
22. – A pointed or rounded elevation on the masticatory surface of a tooth.
23. – A rounded, bulbous convex ridge on the cervical third of the lingual surface of anterior teeth.