Adult health

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Teeth: From crown to root

Adults have 32 permanent teeth, including wisdom teeth. Each tooth has two main parts — the crown and the root. The crown is the part of the tooth you can see, and the root is hidden below your gums.

Other parts of the tooth include:

• Enamel. This hard outer coating protects the crown of the tooth.
• Dentin. This hard substance beneath the enamel makes up the bulk of the tooth.
• Pulp. This soft tissue is located in the middle of the tooth.
• Cementum. This hard tissue covers the root of the tooth and attaches it to the jawbone.

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