Enamel

• is the smooth hard coating covering the crown of the tooth.
• it is translucent-white in colour.
• is the hardest tissue in the body.
• is not sensitive.

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Dentine

• is the main substance of both the crown and the root of the tooth.
• is yellowish-white in colour.
• is very sensitive.

Gums (Gingiva)

• from the transition between the teeth and the rest of the oral cavity.

Gingival Sulcus

• surrounds the tooth.
• has a normal depth of 0,5 to 2mm.
• infection easily originates in the sulcus.

Periodontal Ligament

• attaches the tooth to the bone by means of thin fibres.
• serves as shock absorber for the tooth.

Pulp Chamber (Nerve Cavity)

• this cavity houses the blood vessels which transport nutrients to the tooth, and nerves which make the tooth sensitive.

Root Canals

• are the small canals through which the nerves and blood vessels pass through the roots on their way from the bone to the pulp chamber.

Pulpal Opening (Apical Foramen)

• is the only normal opening in a tooth.
• the nerves and blood vessels run through this opening from the bone to the root canal.

Bone

• the tooth is anchored in the bone.
• the bone forms part of the jaw.

Cementum

• a thin layer covering the root.
• the ligament attaches to this.

South African Dental Association (SADA)
 

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