Teeth and Jaws - Make Them Stronger and Healthier

Ever wondered how the placement of teeth was determined? Ever wondered how a dentist knows which teeth are what, and in what order the teeth come in? The answers to these and many more tooth related questions

can be answered through a science called the teeth and jaws. In this practice, the primary focus is on teeth and how they are structured. In addition, how teeth are named, the classification and appearance of teeth is also focused on.

To begin, in any given mouth there are 20 primary or baby teeth and 32 permanent or adult teeth. Where the primary teeth are concerned, ten are located in the maxilla, or upper jaw area. The remaining ten are located in the mandible, or lower jaw area. Likewise, with the permanent set, 16 teeth are located in the upper jaw area and 16 are located in the lower jaw area. Each tooth contains a distinguishing identification characteristic that separates it from the tooth on either side.

Primary tooth development begins before a person is born. By six to eight weeks in utero, baby teeth begin to take shape. Following this, in week twentieth in utero, the permanent teeth begin to develop. By this stage, if tooth development has failed to begin, there is a likelihood that it will never occur. Starting from embryonic cells, the tooth foundation begins to grow. Eventually the newly formed tooth erupts through the gum taking placement inside the mouth.

Tooth classification takes shape under common terms of set, arch, class, type and side. To begin, teeth belong to one of two sets. Either placement occurs in the primary or baby set or in the permanent or adult set. A select group of teeth make up what is called the succedanenous set of teeth. These are the permanent teeth that replace the baby teeth. Specifically, these are the incisors, canines, and premolars of the permanent teeth set.

The arch classification of teeth refers to which jawbone structure the teeth are located in. Teeth found in the upper jaw are classified as existing in the maxilla arch. Likewise, teeth found in the lower jaw are classified

as existing in the mandible arch. Classes of teeth can be divided into four sections: incisors, canines, premolars and molars. Premolars are only located in the permanent teeth set. There are no existences of premolars in the primary set.

Teeth can be further broken down by type. This is largely based on the trait of teeth. Incisors can be broken down into central and lateral incisors. Among the premolars, there are first and second premolar trait classifications. With molars, there are traits of first, second and third molars. In addition to these type classifications, teeth can be taken one step further into a side classification. Simply stated, the sides available are either right or left.

As with teeth, the surfaces of the mouth can be classified into different groups as well. Surfaces closest to the cheek and lip areas are called the facial area. This can be further broken down into buccal and labial surface areas. The buccal area is where the posterior teeth are located nearest to the cheek. The labial area is where anterior teeth are located nearest to the lip. The surface area closest to the tongue is called the lingual area. This can also be referred to as the palatal area due to the location beside the hard palate in the mouth.

The surfaces of the mouth can be further broken down into the areas responsible for aiding in chewing movements. This is the occlusal area on the posterior teeth. For the anterior teeth, the surface area is the incisal area. The surface closest to the crown and root of the mouth is the cervical surface. The surface closest to the apex of the mouth is called the apical surface.

In the jawbone structure, the mandible bone creates the lower jaw area. This creates an anchor for the bottom set of teeth. As the only bone in the facial structure that can move, the mandible is the largest and strongest bone in the face. The body is a curved, horizontal area commonly referred to as a horseshoe. There are two surfaces of the body: internal and external. Likewise, there are two borders of the lower jaw: superior and inferior.

Two perpendicular sections connect the jawbone to the body at right angles. The mandible creates a joint with the temperal bones located at the sides of the head. In addition, there are sets of discs that slide between the bones found in the mandible. The primary function of the mandible is to support the bottom set of teeth located in the mouth. The shape of the mandible has a significant impact on the overall shape of the face.

Like its lower counterpart, the maxilla bone is one of the strongest and largest bones in the facial area. Serving as the anchor for the upper set of teeth, the maxilla also anchors several facial muscles. There is an area of the face called the orbit. In this area, there exists a bone cavity that holds the eyeballs and all associated muscle tissues, blood vessels and nerve endings. This area, along with the roof of the mouth and the lateral wall of the nose are all supported by the maxilla.

The anatomical make up of the teeth and jaws provide a better understanding of how the mouth functions. As with any body system, each intricate part is needed in order for the mouth as a whole to function. This mirrors the practice of holistic dentistry. Here, the view is how each body function plays an intricate part in the whole body function of a person. It is thereby essential to keep all elements of the teeth and jaws in solid working condition.