The teeth are hard, mineralised organs set in sockets of the maxilla and mandible that cut, tear and grind food. Adults normally have 32 permanent teeth: in each quarter of the mouth two incisors, one canine, two premolars and three molars. Each tooth has a crown covered in enamel, a root covered in cementum, a core of dentin and a central pulp of nerves and vessels.
| Location | Set in the alveolar processes of the maxilla (upper arch) and mandible (lower arch), held by the periodontal ligament |
|---|---|
| Parts | |
| Nerve Supply | Anterior, middle and posterior superior alveolar nerves, CN V2 (upper teeth); Inferior alveolar nerve, CN V3 (lower teeth) |
| Blood Supply | Anterior, middle and posterior superior alveolar arteries; Inferior alveolar artery |
| Venous drainage |
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| Lymphatic drainage |
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Cut and grind food to increase its surface area for digestion, support the lips and cheeks and help form speech sounds.
Dental pain is often poorly localised and may be referred to the ear, temple or opposite jaw, and heart pain can present as jaw pain. Dental abscesses can spread into deep neck spaces and occasionally cause life-threatening infection. Upper teeth are numbed by infiltration because the maxilla is thin, while lower back teeth usually need an inferior alveolar nerve block because the mandible is dense.
Destruction of enamel and dentin by acid from bacterial fermentation of sugars; untreated, it reaches the pulp and causes pulpitis and abscess.
Collection of pus at the root tip or in the periodontal tissues, causing throbbing pain and swelling that can spread to the face and neck.
Complete loss of a tooth from its socket after trauma; a permanent tooth has the best chance of survival if replanted within about an hour.
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