The type of treatments available to repair teeth depends on the kind and extent of damage that is present and the length of time you desire the treatment to last. To begin, let us look at the normal appearance of the teeth. Your teeth are part of a very complex system that is primarily designed to allow you to chew your food (the masticatory system). They also assist in your speech and add facial beauty.

But there is more to your teeth than meets the eye. A tooth is composed of a hard inner structure called dentin. The dentin structure is encased by enamel on the exposed surface and cementum on the root surface. A hollow pulp cavity is located within the center of the tooth. This pulp cavity is filled with a jelly-like substance containing the nerves and blood vessels. These nerves and blood vessels enter the tooth at the end of the root. Teeth are supported by the surrounding gums and bone. The care of your teeth is important not only for the teeth themselves, but also for the supporting structures. There are four kinds of teeth: incisors, canines, premolars, and molars.

Back to Patient Library