Dental anatomy 101Basic vocabulary
Agenda
Tooth numbering / surfaces
Division of tooth into thirds
Contact points
Embrasures
Heights of contour
Tooth numbering / surfaces
Division into thirds
Mandibular 1st molar - mesial viewMandibular 1st molar buccal view
Division into thirds
Contact points
Contact points
Where mesial surface of one tooth touches distal surface of adjacent tooth (or mesial-mesial in the case of centrals)
Distal inciso-gingival contact point is either the same level or more gingival than the mesial inciso-gingival contact point
All posterior teeth inciso-gingival contact points are in the middle third of the crown except mesial surface of all molars (jxn of occlusal and middle third)
All teeth have facio-lingual contact points in the middle third of the crown, but posterior teeth have contact points leaning toward the facial.
Embrasures
V-shaped flare surrounding proximal contact areas of a tooth
Provide spillways for food to escape during mastication Reduces pressure
Self-cleansing
Facial embrasure is always thinner than lingual embrasure except: Mandibular centrals (F = L)
Maxillary 1st molar (F > L)
Embrasures
Heights of contour
Aka height of curvature
Imaginary line encircling tooth or tooth surface at its greatest bulge
Facial height of contour cervical third for all teeth
except mandibular molars (jxn of cervical and middle third)
Lingual height of contour Anterior teeth cervical third
Posterior teeth middle third except mandibular second premolar (occlusal third)
Heights of contour
Mandibular 1st molar - mesial view
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