The teeth
Teeth · dentes
Thirty-two hard tools set in your jaws for cutting, tearing and grinding food.
What it does
Adults have up to 32 teeth. Incisors at the front slice, pointed canines grip and tear, and premolars and molars crush and grind. Each tooth has a crown of enamel above the gum and roots anchored in the jawbone, with a living core of nerves and blood vessels.
Surprising fact
Tooth enamel is the hardest substance your body makes, yet it contains no living cells, so it can't repair itself once it is damaged.
Why it matters
Because enamel can't regrow, protecting it with fluoride and by limiting sugary and acidic drinks matters for life. Wisdom teeth often don't fit because modern human jaws are shorter than our ancestors'.
Nearby
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Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.