Anatomical crown refers to the biting surfaces, like the molars, it

shows the pits & fissures, cusps, valleys ,etc

Clinical crown refers to the anterior or front teeth, visible when
you smile!
Buccal or facial or labial This is the tooth surface that faces the
outside of your mouth. It's also what people can see when they look
at you. The tooth surface that is closest or next to your cheek is
called the buccal surface. In teeth that are closer to the front of the
mouth, this surface is closer to the lips and is called the labial
surface. Facial is an "umbrella" term that refers to both the buccal
and labial surfaces.
Lingual or palatal This is the surface of a tooth that is closest or
next to your tongue. On your upper teeth, this is called the palatal
surface. On your lower teeth, it's called the lingual surface.
Mesial and distal The mesial and distal surfaces are the sides
that come into contact with adjacent teeth. They are also called
proximal surfaces. The mesial side faces the front of the mouth. The
distal side faces the back of the mouth.
Occlusal You might think of this as the "top" of a tooth. It's the
surface of the back (molar and premolar) teeth that is used for
biting or chewing.
Cusps The parts of the occlusal surface that are raised.
Surfaces
Surfaces that are nearest the cheeks or lips are referred to as facial,
and those nearest the tongue are known as lingual. Facial surfaces
can be subdivided into buccal (when found on posterior teeth
nearest the cheeks) and labial (when found on anterior teeth
nearest the lips). Lingual surfaces can also be described as palatal
when found on maxillary teeth beside the hard palate.
Surfaces that aid in chewing are known as occlusal on posterior
teeth and incisal on anterior teeth. Surfaces nearest the junction of
the crown and root are referred to as cervical, and those closest to
the apex of the root are referred to as apical. The words mesial and
distal are also used as descriptions. "Mesial" signifies a surface
closer to the median line of the face, which is located on a vertical

axis between the eyes, down the nose, and between the contact of
the central incisors. Surfaces further away from the median line are
described as distal.

Cusp
A cusp is an elevation on an occlusal surface of posterior teeth and
canines. It contributes to a significant portion of the tooth's surface.
Canines have one cusp. Maxillary premolars and the mandibular first
premolars usually have two cusps. Mandibular second premolars
frequently have three cusps--- one buccal and two lingual. Maxillary
molars have two buccal cusps and two lingual cusps. A fifth cusp
that may form on the maxillary first molar is known as the cusp of
Carabelli. Mandibular molars may have five or four cusps.
Cingulum
A cingulum is a convexity found on the lingual surface of anterior
teeth. It is frequently identifiable as an inverted V-shaped ridge,[8]
and its appearance is comparable to a girdle.[9] All anterior teeth
are formed from four centers of development, referred to as lobes.
Three are located on the facial side of the tooth, and one on the
lingual side. The cingulum forms from this lingual lobe of
development.[10] The majority of a lingual surface's cervical third is
made up of the cingulum.[11] On lower incisors, a cingulum usually
is poorly developed or absent. Maxillary canines have a large, welldeveloped cingulum,[11] where as the cingulum of mandibular
canines is smoother and rounded.[12]
Ridges
Ridges are any linear, flat elevations on teeth,[13] and they are
named according to their location. The buccal ridge runs cervicoocclusally in approximately the center of the buccal surface of
premolars. The labial ridge is one that runs cervico-incisally in
approximately the center of the labial surface of canines. The lingual
ridge extends from the cingulum to the cusp tip on the lingual
surface of most canines. The cervical ridge runs mesiodistally on the

cervical third of the buccal surface of the crown. These are found on
all primary teeth but only on the permanent molars.
Cusp ridges are ridges that radiate from cusp tips. There are two
marginal ridges, mesial and distal, present on all teeth. On anterior
teeth, they are located on the mesial and distal borders of the
lingual surface; on posterior teeth, they are located on the mesial
and distal borders of the occlusal surface. Triangular ridges are
those that project from the cusp tips of premolar and molars to the
central groove. Transverse ridges are formed by the union of two
triangular ridges on posterior teeth. The joining of buccal and lingual
triangular ridges is usually named as an example. The oblique ridge
is found on the occlusal surfaces of maxillary molars. It is formed by
the union of the distal cusp ridge of the mesiolingual cusp and the
triangular ridge of the distobuccal cusp. The oblique ridges usually
forms the distal boundary of the central fossa.
Oblique ridgeThe only tooth on which an
oblique
CuspA pointed or rounded elevation of enamel found on cuspids and on the
chewing surfaces of bicuspids and molars.

CingulumFound on the lingual aspect of an anterior tooth. It is a

convex mount of enamel localized to the cervical one-third of the crown.

FissureA linear fault that sometimes occurs in a developmental groove

by incomplete or imperfect joining of the lobes. A pit is usually found at the
end of a developmental groove or a place where two fissures intersect.

FossaA rounded or angular depression of varying size found on the surface of a t

Central fossaCentrally located depression found on the occlusal surface of mola

mandibular second bicuspids. The other bicuspids have mesial and distal triangular
but do not have a central fossa.

Lingual fossaIrregular, shallow depression found on the lingual surfaces of an in

Triangular fossaLocated adjacent to the marginal ridges on the occlusal surface

Two types of triangular fossae are mesial and distal.

GrooveA small linear depression on the surface of a tooth.

Developmental groove-Fissure between the cusps on the crown of the tooth. Cusp t
initial site where enamel develops. As the enamel develops and spreads laterally, it
enamel developing from other cusps. This junction forms a developmental groove.
Such grooves appear on the labial, buccal, and lingual surfaces, and are least appa
labial aspect of anteriors.

Supplemental grooveA minor, auxiliary groove that branches off from a much
more prominent developmental groove. They do not represent the junction of
primary tooth parts and gives the occlusal surface a wrinkled appearance.

LobeIs one of the primary divisions of a crown; all teeth develop from four or
five lobes. Lobes are usually separated by readily identifiable developmental groove

Cusp ridgeEach cusp has four cusp ridges radiating from its tip.
They are named according to the direction they take away from the cusp tip
(for example, mesial, distal, buccal, or lingual).

MamelonsAre small, rounded projections of enamel from the incisal edges

of newly erupted anterior teeth. The projections wear away soon after eruption.

RidgeAny linear elevation found on the surface of a tooth, named according to it

Lingual ridgeThe ridge of enamel that extends from the cingulum to the
cusp tip on the lingual surface of most cuspids.

Marginal ridgeA linear, rounded border of enamel that forms the mesial
and distal margins of anterior teeth as viewed from the lingual, and the mesial
and distal borders of occlusal surfaces on posterior teeth.

Oblique ridgeThe only tooth on which an oblique ridge is found is the maxillary
Consists of an elevated prominence on the occlusal surface and extends obliquely
tips of the mesiolingual cusp to the distobuccal cusp.

Transverse ridgeThe union of a buccal and lingual triangular ridge that crosses
posterior tooth transversely (roughly 90 to both the buccal and lingual tooth surfac

Triangular ridgeTwo inclines meet to form a triangular ridge and are

located either on a facial or a lingual cusp ridge.

SulcusAn elongated valley or depression in the surface of a tooth formed by

the inclines of adjacent cusp or ridges.

Oblique ridge is found is the maxillary molar. Consists of an

elevated prominence on the occlusal surface and
extends obliquely from the tips of the mesiolingual cusp
to the distobuccal cusp.
Triangular ridgeTwo inclines meet to form a

triangular ridge and are located either on a

or a
lingual cusp ridge.

facial

Transverse ridgeThe union of a buccal and

triangular ridge that crosses the surface of a
posterior
tooth transversely (roughly 90 to both the
and
lingual tooth surfaces).

lingual

2-7

buccal

GLOSSARY OF UNIQUE DENTAL ANATOMY

The following list will be helpful to you in understanding some of the

anatomical terms used in this chapter.

axillary R 1st premolar (5) occlusal aspect:

MBCR - mesiobuccal cusp ridge
MMR - mesial marginal ridge
MTF - mesial triangular foss
CDG - central developmental groove
MLCR - mesiolingual cusp ridge
DLCR - distolingual cusp ridge
DTF - distal triangular fossa
DMR - distal marginal ridge
DBCR - distobuccal cusp ridge
Maxillary 1st premolar (5,12)
occlusal aspect
TBC - tip of buccal cusp
MBCR - mesiobuccal cusp ridge
MBDG - mesiobuccal
developmental groove
MTF - mesial triangular fossa
MMDG - mesial marginal
development groove
MMR - mesial marginal ridge
MLCR - mesiolingual cusp ridge
LTR - lingual triangular ridge
TLC - tip of lingual cusp
CG - central groove
DLCR - distolingual cusp ridge
DMR - distal marginal ridge
DTF - distal triangular fossa
DBDG - distobuccal

developmental groove
BTR - buccal triangular ridge
DBCR - distobuccal cusp ridge