LAYERS OF THE TOOTH

Cementum - Layer of tooth surrounding the root.

Crown – The part of the tooth you can see.

Dentin – The layer beneath the enamel.

Enamel – The outer surface of the tooth.

Gums – The soft tissue that surrounds the tooth.

Nerves - Nerves transmit signals (conveying messages like hot, cold, or pain) to and from the brain. Your dental nerves are inside the pulp of the tooth.

Periodontal membrane/ligament - the fleshy tissue between tooth and the tooth socket; it holds the tooth in place. The fibers of the periodontal membrane are embedded within the cementum.
Pulp - The soft center of the tooth.

Root – The extension of the tooth into the jawbone. The number of roots ranges from one to four.

Leanr more about your teeth at: teethandgums

ORAL CANCER SCREENING

From The American Dental Association:
Oral cancer screening is a routine part of a dental examination. Regular check-ups, including an examination of the entire mouth, are essential in the early detection of cancerous and pre-cancerous conditions. You may have a very small, but dangerous, oral spot or sore and not be aware of it.
Your ada dentist will carefully examine the inside of your mouth and tongue and in some patients may notice a flat, painless, white or red spot or a small sore. Although most of these are harmless, some are not. Harmful oral spots or sores often look identical to those that are harmless, but testing can tell them apart. If you have a sore with a likely cause, your dentist may treat it and ask you to return for re-examination.
Ada dentists often will notice a spot or sore that looks harmless and does not have a clear cause. To ensure that a spot or sore is not dangerous, your dentist may choose to perform a simple test, such as a brush test. A brush test collects cells from a suspicious lesion in the mouth. The cells are sent to a laboratory for analysis. If precancerous cells are found, the lesion can be surgically removed if necessary during a separate procedure. It’s important to know that all atypical and positive results from a brush test must be confirmed by incisional biopsy and histology.
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