Introduction to Dental Anatomy

This chapter helps the students to know the definition of dental anatomy, types of dentition, dental formula, and various tooth numbering systems. There are two types of dentition throughout the life of a human being: deciduous dentition and permanent dentition. Deciduous dentition is also called dentition of childhood or primary dentition. This dentition begins prenatally at about 14weeks in utero. Permanent dentition is also known as dentition of adulthood or secondary dentition or succedaneous dentition. It is composed of 32 teeth, 16 in the upper arch and 16 in the lower. The arch formed by the teeth and upper jawbone is the maxillary arch. Within each quadrant there are four classes of teeth: incisors (central and lateral), canines, premolars (first and second), and molars (first, second, and third). In the universal notation system for permanent dentition, numbers from 1 through 32 are used for the full set of teeth.