What forms the greatest bulk of the tooth?

What forms the greatest bulk of the tooth?

• A. Enamel
• B. Dentin
• C. Pulp
• D. Cementum

Answer: (B)

Dentin forms the greatest bulk of the tooth. It lies beneath the enamel and surrounds the pulp, extending from the crown into the root as the main substance that gives the tooth its size and shape. Enamel, while extremely hard, is a relatively thin outer layer on the crown, and cementum is a much thinner covering of the root. The pulp is soft tissue in the center and occupies a much smaller volume. Dentin’s substantial thickness, plus the fact that it continues to form over time (secondary dentin), makes it the dominant part of the tooth’s structure.

Dentin forms the greatest bulk of the tooth. It lies beneath the enamel and surrounds the pulp, extending from the crown into the root as the main substance that gives the tooth its size and shape. Enamel, while extremely hard, is a relatively thin outer layer on the crown, and cementum is a much thinner covering of the root. The pulp is soft tissue in the center and occupies a much smaller volume. Dentin’s substantial thickness, plus the fact that it continues to form over time (secondary dentin), makes it the dominant part of the tooth’s structure.