What are teeth made of?

Teeth play a fundamental role in daily life. These elements intervene to eat, speak and smile. But have you ever wondered what teeth are made of?

Not everyone knows how these structures of the mouth are made. Many people even assume that dental elements are bones.

In this article we clarify what teeth are made of. Well, this way you can take better care of them and keep this part of the mouth beautiful and healthy.

What is a tooth?

Before detailing what teeth are made of, it is necessary to clarify what they are. These are small calcified anatomical organs located in the oral cavity.

Together, they form the dental system, being part of the first portion of the digestive system. Its main function is chewing and grinding food. Although, as we mentioned, they also intervene in the phonation and appearance of people.

Each dental element consists of two identifiable anatomical portions, which are the following:

Crown: it is the visible part of the dental element. Allows chewing
Root: It is the covered portion of the tooth that is housed inside the bone and provides support to the structure. Depending on the tooth, there may be one or several roots.

The union of both parts is what is called the neck of the tooth . It is located on the edge of the gum.

Each tooth is located inside a dental socket , within the maxillary bones. It is held together to the bone structure through a joint called gomphosis . This consists of multiple collagen fibers that extend between the root of the tooth and the bone wall, constituting the periodontal ligament.

Types of teeth

Humans are bifiodonts. This means that they have two sets of teeth during their life.

The first set of dental elements are the deciduous teeth. They are also called baby , primary or temporary teeth .

There are a total of 20 dental elements. They appear in the baby’s mouth progressively from approximately 6 months to 3 years. Then, from ages 6 to 12 or 13, they fall out to be replaced by permanent teeth.

The permanent dentition consists of 32 teeth, including wisdom teeth, which erupt between the ages of 17 and 21. Although not all adults have them.

Not all teeth are the same. In the denture, each tooth plays a particular role and is made for a specific function during chewing.

Incisors

They are the square, sharp teeth at the front of the mouth. Its main function is to cut food when we bite.

There are four upper ones and four lower ones. They are called central and lateral , depending on their proximity to the midline of the face.

Canines

They are located behind the incisors. They are sharp and pointed teeth. In colloquial terms they are usually called fangs . They play an important role in breaking down food.

Premolars

The premolars are located behind the canines and in front of the molars. They are also called bicuspid , since they have a chewing surface with two points. Its function is to grind and crush food.

There are two on each side of each arch, with 8 in total: 4 upper and 4 lower. These elements are only present in permanent or adult teeth. During dental replacement they replace the baby molars.

Molars

The molars are located in the most posterior part of the mouth, behind the premolars. Their crowns have a large occlusal surface with grooves and cusps. This allows chewing, vigorously crushing the food.

In the adult mouth there may be 12 molars in total: 6 on each arch, 3 on each side. From front to back they are the first molar, the second molar and the third molar or wisdom tooth.

Wisdom or wisdom teeth do not erupt in all people , as some patients do not have them. Other times, the dentist must extract them due to lack of space in the jaw, malpositions or complications such as infections, pain or displacement of other teeth.

Now that we have clarified what they are and the different types of teeth, it is time to discuss what teeth are made of. Its composition includes different layers of tissues responsible for the consistency, resistance and appearance of the dental elements.

Toothpaste

Tooth enamel is the outermost part of the crown of the teeth. This tissue is made up of hydroxyapatite, an extremely resistant mineral, and proteins. This composition gives tooth enamel the characteristic of being the hardest tissue in the human body.

Its main function is to act as a protective barrier for the innermost tissues. Thus, pathogens, the forces of chewing, the friction of food or very cold or very hot foods are received by this strong and resistant layer.

In any case, despite its great resistance, enamel is vulnerable to losing minerals . The most common cause is demineralization caused by acids generated by bacteria in the mouth, what we know as cavities .

The passage of time, consumption of highly acidic foods or drinks , or exposure to abrasive substances can also wear down the fabric. And you should know that tooth enamel, since it does not have living cells, is incapable of repairing and regenerating itself.

A curious fact about enamel is that it is translucent. The yellowish-white or grayish color of the teeth depends on the tone of the dentin underneath.

Dentine

Dentin is another hard tissue that makes up the tooth. It constitutes the majority of the tooth structure, being located both in the coronary portion, inside the enamel, and in the root, underlying the cementum.

It is made up of a hard material similar to bone. It is mainly made up of a qualified collagen matrix. Inside it has microscopic tubules or ducts that connect it to the pulp.

Its main function is to protect the dental pulp. In addition, its elastic properties help resist forces from blows or trauma, protecting the enamel against fractures.

It is made up of specialized cells called odontoblasts . They are located between the dentin and the pulp, remaining in this area throughout the life of the tooth. They participate in the formation of reparative dentin and in the inflammatory processes, immune response and nociception of the tooth.

In this way, it is possible that in some specific situations it can repair itself. But due to this close relationship with the pulp tissue, any condition in its integrity or intense stimulus results in pain or sensitivity.

dental pulp

The dental pulp is the vital tissue of the dental elements. It is located in the innermost area of the pieces, protected by the outermost layers.

It is made up of connective tissue, blood vessels and nerve endings. For this reason, it is also often called the nerve of the tooth . Well, pain arises from this area. Its functions include sensory transmission, nourishing the tooth and forming dentin.

The space occupied by the pulp in the tooth is called the pulp chamber (in the coronary portion) and dental canals (in the root area). Nerves and blood vessels enter the tooth through a hole at the end of the root canal. From there they spread throughout the thickness of the pulp to nourish it.

These are the areas that are cleaned and filled during root canal treatments. Practices that, in fact, are used to resolve situations of inflammation or death of pulp tissue.

dental cement

This is another of the hard tissues of the tooth. It acts as a covering for the roots, protecting the dentin of the root zone.

In addition, it plays a key role in supporting dental elements. Well, it is the one that articulates with the alveolar bone through the periodontal ligament. It is composed of calcified organic tissue.

Differences with bones

Both teeth and bones are white, strong and contain large deposits of calcium . For this reason, many people tend to treat them as if they were the same.

Now that you know what teeth are made of, you can understand that there are several tissues that make up teeth. And none of them are bones.

But in addition, there are other characteristics that differentiate teeth from bone tissue:

Composition: bones are made up of collagen, calcium phosphate and living cells. Additionally, unlike teeth, they contain bone marrow inside, where blood cells are produced.
Remodeling: bones are in a constant remodeling process. The cells inside remove old tissue and replace it with new bone. This allows maintaining healthy and strong structures. This does not happen with teeth, which, once formed, do not undergo major transformations.
Healing: in the event of an injury or fracture, the bones are capable of generating a healing process, through a soft callus that then calcifies and can repair the wound. On the other hand, the loss of minerals from the tooth due to cavities or fractures cannot be self-repaired and will require the attention of a dentist.

The importance of taking care of your teeth

Cutting, grinding, tearing and mashing food happens in our mouths almost unconsciously. Pronouncing words or showing your teeth when smiling are also actions that sometimes we do not think about. And although we do not keep it in mind, the teeth are involved in them.

Knowing what teeth are made of allows you to put more awareness and responsibility when taking care of your mouth. Well, neglecting dental health can have irreversible consequences. No matter how much the dentist does an excellent job to restore functions, anatomy and aesthetics, the tissue itself is no longer recovered.

For this reason, it is essential to practice proper oral hygiene. Combining correct brushing with the use of fluoride toothpaste, dental floss and mouthwashes is essential to avoid diseases of teeth and gums.

Eating a healthy diet, rich in calcium, fluoride and vitamins, helps keep teeth healthy. Avoiding sugars, ultra-processed foods, carbonated drinks and acidic substances will also protect your teeth.

Not having harmful habits , such as biting nails, biting objects or using your teeth to cut, prevents injuries to your teeth. In addition, the use of mouthguards during risky sports helps maintain the integrity of the teeth.