Internal
Structure of Teeth
The
3 main parts of a tooth are the crown, neck, and root. The crown (the part
of the tooth you see--above the gums) is covered by a protective, bony
layer of
enamel,
and the root of the tooth is covered by a sensitive, bonelike substance
called
cementum.A hard substance known as dentin surrounds the pulp, which contains
nerves (sensing heat, cold, pain, and pressure) and blood vessels (nourishing
the tooth). The gums (or gingiva) fit around the teeth, and the roots of
the teeth fit into sockets in the jawbone. Lining the sockets is a tissue
called periodontium.
