Incisors

front 4, top & bottom, 8 total, used for biting food

Canines

cuspids, 4 total, used for grasping and tearing food

Premolars

bicuspids, 8 total, used for grinding food

Molars

12 total, used for grinding food

Crown

everything above the gum

Root

everything below the gum

Enamel

outer covering of the crown, consists of calcium salts and is the hardest substance in the body, is not replaced when lost

Dentin

the bulk of the tooth under the enamel, harder than bone

Pulp cavity

contains blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue

Gingiva

gums

Cementum

thin layer of bonelike material that encloses the root

Periodontal ligament

made of collagen and attaches the tooth to the jaw