Which term refers to the portion of tooth that holds it in its bony socket?

Which term refers to the portion of tooth that holds it in its bony socket?

• A. Root
• B. Root canal
• C. Sextant
• D. Torus

Answer: (A)

The root is the portion of a tooth that anchors it in the jawbone. It extends below the gumline into the alveolar socket and is held in place by the cementum on its surface, the periodontal ligament fibers, and surrounding bone. This combination keeps the tooth stable during chewing. The root canal, by contrast, is the internal hollow space inside the root that houses nerves and blood vessels. A sextant is a way of dividing the mouth into sections for charting, and a torus is a bony growth on the palate or mandible.

The root is the portion of a tooth that anchors it in the jawbone. It extends below the gumline into the alveolar socket and is held in place by the cementum on its surface, the periodontal ligament fibers, and surrounding bone. This combination keeps the tooth stable during chewing. The root canal, by contrast, is the internal hollow space inside the root that houses nerves and blood vessels. A sextant is a way of dividing the mouth into sections for charting, and a torus is a bony growth on the palate or mandible.