Do you feel like you have a general understanding of your teeth – but when we start discussing a particular portion of a tooth, your brain goes a bit fuzzy? Before you make the assumption that becoming familiar with these different parts is difficult, we encourage you to think again! By looking over a quick guide, you will soon be able to identify the different segments of your tooth, so you understand your oral health that much better.

Crown

The crown of your tooth is the portion that sticks out above your gum tissue. This is what you see when you look at your smile. As a result, if you have problems with your oral health that require significant improvement or coverage of this area, we generally offer what we call a “dental crown.”

Enamel

Enamel is the extremely hard, outer tissue layer of your teeth. It protects the other layers below, including your dentin and pulp. It also prevents bacteria from entering your teeth, which can lead to oral health problems like infection that may occur all the way down to your roots.

Dentin

Dentin is the tissue layer beneath your tooth enamel. It supports the enamel and also houses the pulp within your tooth. It’s not as hard as enamel but is an essential component of a healthy tooth.

Pulp

Pulp is the soft tissue that lines the inside of your tooth, including your roots. It is the tissue within which blood and nutrients flow, keeping your tooth alive and well. When it becomes damaged or infected, it can dramatically affect your oral health. As a result, we generally suggest root canal treatment to remove the pulp.

Root Canals

Your root canals are the very lowest chambers within your teeth – they are hollow structures within your tooth roots (which anchor your teeth within your jawbone).