Introduction to Dental Morphology

Question 1

What is morphology?

Answer 1

the study of the forms of things

Question 2

Nomenclature of human teeth

Answer 2

these are the terms used to describe human dentition, the surfaces and indentifying characteristics

Question 3

What is the dental arch?

Answer 3

teeth, gingiva, and associated bone

Question 4

What is the maxillary arch?

Answer 4

the upper arch including the associated teeth

Question 5

What is the mandibular arch?

Answer 5

the lower arch and associated teeth

Question 6

What portion of the mouth is the only thing that moves?

Answer 6

mandible

Question 7

How many permanent teeth are there?
incisors, canines, premolars, and molars

Answer 7

32
I = 8
C = 4
PM = 8
M = 12

Question 8

What is the permanent dental formula?

Answer 8

the notation system which describes the number and order of permanent teeth

I2/2, C1/1, P2/2, M3/3

Question 9

Each arch is divided in half at the ___
Each half arch is a _________

Answer 9

midline
quadrant
(maxillary R and L quadrant, mandibular R and L quadrant)

Question 10

What are the anterior teeth? What are the posterior teeth?

Answer 10

anterior = incisors (8) and canines (4)
posterior = premolars (8) and molars (12)

Question 11

How many decidous or primary teeth are there?

Answer 11

20 decidious teeth
10 per arch: 4 incisor, 2 canines, and 4 molars

Question 12

What is the deciduous dental formula?

Answer 12

I2/2, C1/1, M2/2

Question 13

What is the crown covered with? What is the root covered with?

Answer 13

crown = enamel
root = cementum

Question 14

What is enamel?

Answer 14

the dense hydroxyapatite surface of the crown

Question 15

What is pulp?

Answer 15

the vascular innervated portion of the tooth

Question 16

What is dentin?

Answer 16

the inner hard layer of the crown and root

Question 17

What is cementum?

Answer 17

the outer layer of the root surface

Question 18

What is DEJ?

Answer 18

dentoenamel junction = junction of enamel and dentin layers

Question 19

What is CEJ?

Answer 19

cementoenamel junction = junction of enamel and cementum layers

Question 20

What is the cervical line?

Answer 20

junction of the anatomical crown and root

Question 21

What is the clinical crown?

Answer 21

the portion of the tooth that is visible in the mouth?

Question 22

What is the anatomical crown?

Answer 22

the crown above the CEJ

Question 23

Surface terminology

Answer 23

Facial (buccal/labial) = outer most surface toward cheek or lips
Lingual (palatal) = inner most surface toward the tongue or palate
Mesial = toward the median line
Distal = away from the median line

Question 24

Incisal vs. Occlusal

Answer 24

the biting or incising edge of anterior teeth
the biting or chewing surface of posterior teeth

Question 25

What is a cusp? What is a fossa?

Answer 25

Cusp: projection on a crown Fossa: depression or concavity between cusps or ridges

Question 26

What is a ridge?

Answer 26

Anatomy of a crown = linear elevation on the surgace of a tooth and is named according to its location

Question 27

What is a cingulum?

Answer 27

lingual crown projection on anterior teeth

Question 28

What is a groove?

Answer 28

line between the primary parts of a crown or root

Question 29

What is a pit?

Answer 29

pinpoint depression at the junction or termination of a groove

Question 30

What is a lobe?

Answer 30

primary center of development within a tooth

Question 31

What is mamelon?

Answer 31

round projections of enamel on newly erupted teeth incisal remnant of incisor development

Question 32

What is furcation?

Answer 32

where root divides

Question 33

What is the root apex?

Answer 33

the opening in the root for entrace of the pulp

Question 34

What is the pulp chamber?

Answer 34

chamber containing dental pulp

Question 35

What is the pulp horn?

Answer 35

highest projection of pulp chamber within the crown - exposure of pulp horn may lead to root canal

Question 36

What is a pulp canal?

Answer 36

inner portion of the root containing the dental pulp

Question 37

What is the periodontium? What does it include?

Answer 37

the tissues that surround the teeth gingiva, cementum, alveolar bone, periodontal ligament

Question 38

What is gingiva?

Answer 38

"gums" covers the bone and surrounds the cervical portions of teeth divided into: free gingiva, attached gingiva, and interdental papilla pale pink

Question 39

alveolar mucosa

Answer 39

dark red, loose attachment to the underlying bone

Question 40

Mucogingival junction

Answer 40

junction of the aveolar mucosa and gingiva

Question 41

Free gingiva

Answer 41

close to the tooth crown, not attached to the bone

Question 42

free gingival groove

Answer 42

separates attached gingiva from free gingiva

Question 43

interdental papilla or gingival papilla (GP)

Answer 43

the triangular shaped gingiva that occupies the gingival embrasure

Question 44

Gingivcal sulcus

Answer 44

not seen visually, but can be evaluated with a periodontal probe space betwen tooth surfave and narrow cervial collar of free gingiva measurement can determine health and periodontal needs

Question 45

Periodontal Ligament (PDL)

Answer 45

surrounds tooth root and attaches tooth to alveolar bone (periodontal fibers)

Question 46

Alveolar bone

Answer 46

aka alveolar process; forms and support tooth sockets