DDS 1 Oral Anatomy Glossary
Terms
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- Abrasion
- wear that is the result of non-masticatory movements
- Alveolus
- small cell or cavity, hence a tooth socket, alveolus dentalis
- Amphicone
- the result of the initial splitting of the eocone as theorized in the premolar-molar analogy theory
- Anatomic crown
- portion of tooth covered with enamel
- Angle
- the junction of 2 or more surfaces
- Anisognathous
- the upper molars unlike the lower in size and pattern
- Ankylosis
- fusion of teeth to the jaw bones in some animals, rarely in humans
- Anodontia
- failure of the teeth to form
- Anomaly
- unusual variations in position, number and conformation of dentition
- Anterior
- toward the front of the body
- Anterior teeth
- the incisors and canines
- Apex
- the terminal end or tip of the root
- Apical
- toward the apex of the root
- Arcade
- the set of arches formed by the teeth
- Arch
- the curved composite structure formed by the teeth
- Articulation
- the contact relationship of the occlusal surfaces of the teeth during jaw movement
- Asymmetry
- A lack of similarity in shape or size between two parts
- Artiodactyla
- even-toed ungulates ex. Cattle, hog, sheep, deer
- Atavism; Atavistic
- recurrence of a peculiarity of an unknown ancestor
- Attrition
- physiological wearing of a tooth caused by mastication
- Axial
- pertaining to the longitudinally (long) axis of the tooth
- Bicuspid
- having 2 cusps; inappropriately used for all premolars
- Bifurcation
- division into 2 parts, as any two roots of a tooth
- Bilophodont
- having 2 ridges of crests on molar crowns
- Brachydont
- the length of the root exceeds that of the crown
- Bruxism
- the clenching or grinding of the teeth
- Buccal
- next to or toward the cheek in posterior teeth
- Buccally
- toward the cheek
- Buccolingual
- from the posterior tooth surface facing the cheek to that facing the tongue
- Bulbous
- rounded
- Bunodont tooth
- the tooth crown supports low rounded cusps
- Canine tooth
- the first tooth posterior to the intermaxillary suture above and its opponent below; preferable to “cuspidâ€
- Carabelli’s cusp
- an accessory cusp often noted on the lingual surface of the maxillary molar mesiolingual cusp
- Carnassial
- long bladed premolars and molars especially P4/M1 of the carnivore
- Carnivora
- flesh eating mammals
- Cementoenamel Junction
- junction of enamel and cementum; cervical line (CEJ)
- Cementum
- the bone-like covering of the root, from mesoderm
- Central Fossa
- a relatively broad deep angular valley in the central portion of the occlusal surface of a molar
- Cervical line
- a line formed by the junction of enamel and cementum (CEJ)
- Cervix (pl. cervices)
- a narrow or constricted portion of a tooth in the region of the junction of crown and root
- Posterior tooth
- the molars and premolars
- Cingule
- a small cusp or tubercle on the lingual face of the tooth
- Cingulum (pl. cingula)
- the ridge or tubercle on the lingual face of the tooth near the gingiva
- Clinical crown
- the portion of crown visible in oral cavity
- Coalescence
- the structural union of like parts, as the coalescence of the root
- Concave
- having a depressed or hollow surface
- Concrescence
- a union of previously separate parts; uniting of teeth by cementum only
- Conical
- shaped like a cone
- Contact area
- that region of the mesial or distal surface that touches the adjacent tooth in the same arch
- Converge
- to come together
- Convex
- bulging outward
- Coronal
- of or pertaining to a crown; applied by some to the occlusal surface
- Crest
- the sinous cusps or enamel ridges on the molars of herbivore; a projecting ridge or structure
- Crown
- that portion of the tooth covered with enamel, which is normally visible in the oral cavity.
- Crucial or cruciate
- having the form of a cross, cruciform
- Cusp
- a pronounced elevation on the occlusal surface
- Cusp Ridges
- elevations which extend in a mesial and distal direction from cusp tips. They form the buccal and lingual margins of the occlusal surfaces of posterior teeth.
- Cuspid
- having a cusp or point; inferior term for canine teeth
- Cynodonts
- Triassic reptiles that possessed some mammal-like features of skull and teeth
- Deciduous
- the first set or series of teeth that are replaced by a permanent set
- Dentate
- having teeth
- Dentin(e)
- calcified tissue that comprises the bulk of a tooth. It is covered by the harder enamel and softer cementum, from mesoderm
- Denticles
- calcareous bodies which serve the purposes of teeth; a concretion which develops in the dental pulp as a part of the aging process
- Denticulate, Denticulated
- notched or serrated; having small teeth
- Dentigerous
- bearing or supporting teeth; supplied with teeth; also containing teeth, as a dentigerous cyst
- Dentition
- the natural teeth considered collectively in the dental arches
- Developmental groove
- marks the fusion areas between adjacent cusps and other major parts of a tooth
- Diastema (pl. diastemata)
- a space between 2 adjacent teeth in the same dental arch, especially the space between the upper lateral incisor and the canine in the carnivora or; in humans, a space between the maxillary central incisors.
- Dilaceration
- abnormal curvature of the crown or root
- Diphyodont
- having two sets of teeth
- Distal
- away from the median line
- Distal surface
-
the surface of the tooth facing away from the median line following the
curve of the dental arch - Distobuccal
- relating to the distal and buccal portion of the tooth
- Distolingual
- relating to the distal and lingual portion of the tooth
- Distomolar
- a supernumerary tooth found to the distal of the molars
- Embrasure
- a “V-shaped†space between the proximal surfaces of two adjoining,contacting teeth
- Enamel
- the hard substance composed of 90% hydroxyapatite, and 6-8% calcium carbonate covering the anatomical crown of the tooth, of ectodermal origin
- Entoconid
- the distolingual cone or cusp of the talonid of the mandibular molars
- Eocone
- the first, single coned tooth observed in prehistoric reptiles according to the premolar-molar analogy theory
- Erosion
- the loss of tooth substance by non-bacterial chemical action
- Exfoliation
- the loss of deciduous teeth after the physiological resorption of the roots
- Facet
- the flattened area of enamel or dentin produced by wear
- Facial surfaces
- the labial and buccal surfaces collectively
- Fissure
-
a cleft or crevice in a tooth surface resulting from the imperfect fusion of the
enamel of the adjoining cusps or lobes - Foramen (foramina)
- a passage perforating hard tissues that transmits either vessels and/or nerves
- Fossa
- a shallow depression or concavity on the surface of the tooth
- Furcation
- the region of a multi-rooted tooth where the roots divide
- Gingiva
- the fibrous and mucous tissues that surround the teeth and cover the alveolar tissues
- Ginglymoid
- hinged, as the jaw articulation of the carnivore; a joint that allow motion around an axis
- Gnathic
- pertaining to the jaw/cheek
- Gomphosis
- attachment of the teeth by implantation in a bony socket or alveolus
- Groove
- a shallow, linear depression on the surface of a tooth
- Gum
- the gingiva; the soft tissue around the tooth
- Haplodont
- having undivided or simple tooth crowns in the shape of a single cone
- Herbivore
- animal whose diet consists principally of plants
- Heterodont
- having teeth that are morphologically different
- Homodont
- having teeth that are morphologically the same
- Hyperdontia
- the condition of excess teeth; supernumerary teeth
- Hypocone
- the distolingual cusp of maxillary molars
- Hypoconid
- the distobuccal cusp of mandibular molars
- Hypoconulid
- the distal cusp, the fifth cusp of mandibular molars
- Hypodontia
- partial absence of teeth
- Hypsodont (Hypsodonty)
- Having long teeth; a marked elongation of the crown or body of the tooth; a marked elongation of the cusps.
- Idiopathic
- An unknown cause
- Incisal Ridge
- The incisal portion of an anterior tooth.
- Incisal Surface
- The cutting edge of the anterior teeth, particularly the incisors.
- Incisor
- One of the cutting teeth in humans; the most anterior (mesial) teeth in the jaw
- Interproximal
- Between adjoinging surfaces; the proximal surfaces
- Interproximal Contact Facets
- Flattened areas on interproximal surfaces that result from wear
- Isognathous
- Having maxillary and mandibular teeth of the same size and pattern
- Labial
- Next to or toward the lips; of, or pertaining to the lips
- Labial Surface
- The surface of an anterior tooth positioned immediately adjacent to the lip
- Labiolingual
- From the anterior tooth surface facing the lips to the surface facing the tongue.
- Line Angle
- That angle formed by the junction of two surfaces along a line, e.g., the mesiobuccal angle.
- Lingual
- Next to or toward the tongue; pertaining to the tongue
- Lingual Fossa
- A broad, shallow depression on the lingual surface of an incisor or canine.
- Lingual Surface
- The surface of a tooth which faces the tongue; opposite of the facial surface
- Lobe
- A division of a tooth crown formed from a distinct point of calcification
- Lophodont
- Having the crowns of the teeth formed in transverse or longitudinal crests or ridges, as in the herbivore
- Macrodontia
- Relatively large teeth (generalized); a large single tooth; also occasionally referred to as “megadontâ€.
- Mamelon
- A rounded or conical prominence on the incisal ridge of a newly erupted incisor.
- Mandible
- The bone forming the lower jaw and supporting the inferior teeth.
- Mandibulae
- The collective term for both the mandible and maxilla.
- Marginal Ridges
- Elevated crests which form the mesial and distal margins of the occlusal surfaces of the posterior teeth, and the lingual surfaces of the anterior teeth
- Maxilla
- The bone supporting the superior teeth and forming part of the orbit, hard palate and the nasal cavity.
- Mesial
- Toward the median line.
- Mesial Surface
- The surface of a tooth facing toward the median line following the curve of the dental arch.
- Mesiodens
- The most common supernumerary tooth usually appearing between the maxillary incisors.
- Mesiodistal
- From the surface facing the midline to the surface facing away from the midline following the arch curvature.
- Mesodont
- Having medium-sized teeth
- Metacone
- The distobuccal cone or cusp of the maxillary molars
- Metaconid
- The distolngual cone or cusp of the primitive mandibular molars, becoming mesiolingual due to the loss of the paraconid cusp in the Primates
- Metaconule
- Small, intermediate cusp between the metacone and the protocone of the maxillary molars.
- Microdont
- Having an abnormally small tooth or teeth
- Midline
- A line passing through the center
- Molar teeth
- The posterior (distal) 3 teeth in each quadrant of the oral cavity in homo sapiens
- Monophyodont
- Having only one set of teeth
- Morphology
- The study of the shape and structure of an organism
- Multitubercular
- A tooth crown having many tubercles or cusps
- Nidus (pl. Nidi)
- A place in which something is nurtured
- Oblique ridge
- An elevated crest comprised of the triangular ridge of the distobuccal cusp and the distal ridge of the mesiolingual cusp
- Oblong
- Deviating from square by having one long dimension.
- Occlude
- To bring the mandibular tooth into contact with the maxillary teeth
- Occlusal
- the biting surface of a posterior tooth; pertaining to occlusion.
- Occlusal surface
- The surface of a premolar or molar contained within the marginal and cusp ridges.
- Occlusion
- The relation between the incising and occluding surfaces of the maxillary and mandibular teeth when they are shut; Any contact between the incising or masticating surfaces of the teeth.
- Odontogenesis
- The development and formation of the teeth.
- Odontography
- A description of the teeth.
- Oligodontia
- Absence of many teeth.
- Paracone
- The mesiobuccal cusp of the maxillary molars
- Paraconid
- The mesiolingual cusp of mammalian mandibular molars. (This cusp has been lost in primates).
- Paramolar
- A supernumerary found to the buccal or lingual of the molars.
- Periodontium
- The soft tissue surrounding a tooth
- Perissodactyla
- Odd-toed ungulates such as the horse, tapir, rhinoceros.
- Permanent teeth
- The set of teeth that replace the first (deciduous) set of teeth in humans.
- Pit
- A sharp depression usually located at the junction of two or more developmental grooves or at the termination of a single developmental groove.
- Point angle
- The angle formed by the junction of three surfaces at a point, e.g. the mesiolabioincisal angle.
- Polylophodont
- Having multiple lophs or cusps.
- Polyphyodont
- Having multiple sets of teeth.
- Premolar tooth
- The 2 teeth anterior (mesial) to the molars in homo sapiens; mistakenly termed the bicuspids.
- Procumbent
- Leaning or extending forward; like the incisors in Insectivores
- Protocone
- The lingual cusp of a maxillary premolar, the primitive reptilian cone or cusp of a maxillary tritubercular molar, i.e., the lingual cusp or the mesiolingual cusp of a maxillary molar.
- Protoconid
- The primitive buccal cusp of a mandibular premolar; the primitive reptilian cone or cusp of a mandibular tritubercular molar, or the mesiobuccal cusp of a mandibular molar.
- Proximal surface
- The surface of a tooth that faces toward an adjoining tooth in the same arch, i.e., the mesial or distal surfaces
- Proximal root concavity
- A depression extending longitudinally on the mesial or distal surface of a root.
- Pulp
- The soft tissue within the pulp cavity consisting of connective tissue containing blood vessels, nerves, and lymphatics
- Pulp canal/Root canal
- The narrow area of the pulp chamber within the root.
- Pulp chamber
- The expanded cavity within the tooth that contains the pulp.
- Quadrant
- One quarter of the oral cavity, i.e., the maxillary right and left quadrants and the mandibular left and right.
- Quadritubercular
- Having four tubercles or cusps.
- Quinquetubercular
- Having five tubercles or cusps.
- Ridge
- A liner elevation on the surface of a tooth.
- Root
- The portion of a tooth covered with cementum and normally embedded in the alveolar process.
- Root canal
- See pulp canal.
- Root trunk
- That portion or a multirooted tooth between the cervical line and furcation of the roots.
- Ruga (pl. rugae)
- A fold or crease. The irregular ridges of the membrane of the palate.
- Ruminantia or Ruminants
- Artiodactyl animals that chew the cud, as oxen, sheep, goats, deer, and others.
- Saccule
- A small sac or cyst
- Secodont
- Sectorial or cutting teeth.
- Sectorial tooth
- The cutting tooth of the Carnivora - a long-bladed premolar or molar; a carnassial tooth.
- Shear
- To cut as with a pair of scissors.
- Selenodont
- Having longitudinal crescent shaped ridges, as a molar tooth of the Artiodactyla (ox, deer, sheep, hog, etc.).
- Succedaneous
- Those permanent teeth that succeed or take the places of the deciduous teeth, incl the incisors, canines, and premolars
- Sulcus
- An elongated valley in the surface of a tooth formed by the inclines of adjacent cusps or ridges which meet at an angle.
- Supernumerary
- Having more than the usual number (of teeth).
- Supplemantal groove
- An indistinct linear depression, irregular in extent and direction that does not demarcate major divisional portions of a tooth
- Symmetrical
- Having the same shape or size on both sides
- Talon
- The distolingual prominence or heel of a maxillary molar crown, bearing the hypocone, or distolingual cusp.
- Taurodont
- A tooth with a large pulp chamber in relation to the crown.
- Thecodont
- Persisting alveolar sockets that are independent of the presence or teeth, as in crocodiles and alligators.
- Thirds
- Imaginary divisions of a tooth crown or root as to length (i.e., occlusal, middle, and gingival thirds) or mesiodistal breadth (i.e. mesial, middle, and distal thirds).
- Transverse ridge
- The triangular ridges of a buccal and a lingual cusp that join to form a more or less continuous elevation extending transversely across the occlusal surface of a posterior tooth.
- Triangular fossa
- A shallow depression on the occlusal surfaces of posterior teeth located within the confines of the mesial or distal marginal ridges.
- Triangular ridges
- Prominent elevations, triangular in cross-section, which extend from the tip of a cusp towards the central portion of the occlusal surface of a tooth.
- Tribosphenic/Triconodont
- Having three cones or cusps in a linear arrangement, the central one the largest.
- Triconodonta
- Jurassic animals, unmistakably mammals, which show a triconodont condition of the molars.
- Trifurcation
- A division into three parts or branches, as the three roots of a maxillary first molar.
- Trigon
- The arrangement of the first three cones or cusps of a maxillary molar (Metacone, Paracone + Protocone).
- Trigonid
- The arrangement of the first three cones or cusps of a mandibular molar (Protoconid, Paraconid + Metaconid).
- Tritubercular
- Having three tubercules or cusps on the occlusal surface.
- Truncate, or Truncated
- Cut off or terminated abruptly
- Tubercle
- A small elevation on the crown of a tooth possibly by excessive accumulation of enamel.
- Talonid
- The heel, or distobuccal portion of a mandibular molar crown, upon which may develop the entoconid, the hypoconid and the hypoconulid
- Tusk
- A prominent incisor or canine tooth which protrudes some distance beyond the lips, as the tusk of an elephant, narwhale, or a walrus.
- Ungulates
- Hoofed mammals.
- Vomerine teeth
- Teeth attached to the vomer in the roof of the oral cavity of certain fishes, amphibia, and reptiles.
- Eruption
- movement of tooth from developement in alveolar process to occlusion
- Emergence
- time that tooth comes through gingiva into oral cavity
- alveolar bone
- attached to cementum of root by periodontal membrane
- periodontal membrane
- soft tissue attaching cementum of root to alveolar bone
- dental formula
- formula that describes the dentition of half of the mouth of an organism
- Cheek teeth
- posterior teeth for paleontologists, often can't tell dif b/w PMs & Ms
- Palatal
- Next to the palate on the maxillary arch
- height of contour
- line encircling tooth at its greatest bulge or diameter
- contact point
- on mesial & distal surfaces, the furthest point away from the midline that touches the adjacent tooth
- Palmer or Zsigmondy system
- notation system where teeth are divided into quadrants and counted from the midline, using angles to divide the teeth, widely used in North America
- Haderup system
- notation system where arches are assigned by + or - and position of sign denotes R or L, used often in Europe
- Universal system
- Notation system that starts at max M3 and counts toward the left max to M3, then goes to mand L M3 back to R M3, used in the US
- F.D.I. system
- notation system that assigns a number as a prefix to each tooth denoting the quadrant and counts teeth from the midline, used internationally
- shovel-shaped incisor
- highly developed marginal ridges on the lingual surface of central or lateral incisors
- barrel-shaped incisor
- extremely highly developed marginal ridges & cingulum on lingual surface of lateral incisors
- peg-shaped incisor
- agenesis - cone shaped crowns from not developing properly
- foramen caecum incisivum
- pit found in the lingual fossa of the maxillary lateral incisor
- canine fossa
- concavity found on mesial surface of crown extending to a pronounced longitudinal groove on the root of the maxillary 1st premolar
- protostylid
- An extra buccal cusp on the mesiobuccal cusp, found most often in mandibular 3rd, then 2nd, then 1st molars
- foramen caecum molarum
- buccal pit at the terminus of the buccal grooves of the mandibular molars
- Cusp 6 or tuberculum sextum
- Extra cusp between distal & distolingual cusps on the distal marginal ridge of mandibular molars
- Cusp 7 or tuberculum intermedium
- Extra cusp between the lingual cusps of mandibular molars, esp the distal end of the mesiolingual cusp
- enamel extension
- extension of the enamel into furcations of maxillary & mandibular molars
- facial development groove
- grooves found on the labial surface of central & lateral incisors, on newly erupted teeth
- premolar occlusal tubercle
- accessory tubercle sometimes noted on the lingual side of the occlusal surface on premolars
- dryopithecus
- the Y-5 pattern found on mandibular 1st molars which is most common evolutionarily
- enamel pearl
- accumulation of enamel at the level of root furcation, found on maxillary 2nd molars