TEETH
Teeth can be categorized into 2 main types: permanent and deciduous
Deciduous Teeth:
- Number: Children typically have 20 deciduous teeth, consisting of 10 upper and 10 lower teeth.
- Function: Deciduous teeth serve as placeholders for permanent teeth and aid in chewing, speech development, and facial structure.
- Size: Deciduous teeth are smaller in size compared to permanent teeth.
- Anatomy:
- Crown: Deciduous teeth have a thinner enamel layer and a relatively larger crown compared to their roots.
- Roots: Deciduous teeth have shorter roots that are more divergent and less complex than those of permanent teeth.
- Pulp Chamber: The pulp chamber in deciduous teeth is larger in proportion to the size of the tooth.
- Eruption: Deciduous teeth erupt between the ages of 6 months to 2-3 years, and they start shedding around the age of 6-7 years to make way for permanent teeth.
Permanent Teeth:
- Number: Adults typically have 32 permanent teeth, including 16 upper and 16 lower teeth.
- Function: Permanent teeth are designed to last a lifetime and serve essential functions such as chewing, speech, and maintaining facial structure.
- Size: Permanent teeth are larger and stronger compared to deciduous teeth.
Anatomy:
- Crown: Permanent teeth have thicker enamel layers and a more pronounced cusp pattern for efficient chewing.
- Roots: Permanent teeth have longer, stronger roots that are firmly embedded in the jawbone.
- Pulp Chamber: The pulp chamber in permanent teeth is smaller in proportion to the size of the tooth compared to deciduous teeth.
- Eruption: Permanent teeth begin to erupt around the age of 6-7 years, starting with the first molars, and continue to erupt until early adulthood. The process of eruption and replacement of deciduous teeth with permanent teeth is called exfoliation.