The first thing we do every morning (or at least somewhere in our oral hygiene routine) is brush our teeth. But, how much do you actually know about those pearly white objects in your mouth? Did you know that teeth are the hardest substances in the human body. And, besides being essential for chewing, the teeth also play an important role in speech.
Learn the different parts of the teeth and how they all come together to give you your unique smile. The team at Riverside Orthodontics near Old Greenwich is available to help get that smile.
- Enamel is the hardest, white outer part of the tooth. Enamel is mostly made of calcium phosphate, a rock-hard mineral.
- Dentin is the layer underlying the enamel. Dentin is made of living cells, which secrete a hard mineral substance.
- Pulp is the softer, living inner structure of teeth. Blood vessels and nerves run through the pulp of the teeth.
- Cementum is a layer of connective tissue that binds the roots of the teeth firmly to the gums and jawbone.
- Periodontal ligament is tissue that helps hold the teeth tightly against the jaw.
- Incisors (8 total) are the middlemost four teeth on the upper and lower jaws.
- Canines (4 total) are the pointed teeth just outside the incisors.
- Premolars (8 total) are the teeth between the canines and molars.
- Molars (8 total) are the flat teeth in the rear of the mouth, best at grinding food.
- Wisdom teeth or third molars (4 total) erupt at around age 18, but are often surgically removed to prevent displacement of other teeth.
Often times these things don’t grow in exactly the way we’d like them to and that’s where Riverside Orthodontics can step in. Contact our orthodontist office near Old Greenwich to schedule your initial orthodontic consultation.
