National Dental Assisting Examining Board (NDAEB) Practice Exam

What is located in the innermost area of a tooth?

1. Dentin

2. Enamel

3. Cementum

4. Pulp chamber

The correct answer is: Pulp chamber

The pulp chamber is indeed located in the innermost area of a tooth. This chamber contains the dental pulp, which is made up of soft connective tissue, blood vessels, and nerves. The dental pulp is crucial for the tooth's vitality, as it provides nutrients and sensory function. Within the pulp chamber, the pulp is protected by the surrounding structures of the tooth, such as the dentin and enamel. In contrast, dentin is the layer that makes up most of the tooth's structure and surrounds the pulp chamber; it acts as a protective barrier but is not innermost. Enamel, the outermost layer of the tooth, is the hardest substance in the human body and protects the underlying dentin and pulp. Cementum is the thin layer of bone-like material that covers the root of the tooth, anchoring it to the alveolar bone, and is located outside of the dentin. Thus, the pulp chamber represents the deepest and innermost part of the tooth.