The Chairside Instructor 3 The Tooth and Its Supporting Tissues Oral Anatomy Enamel: hard outer covering of the tooth Gums (gingiva): soft tissues that help support the tooth and hug your teeth tightly Pulp chamber: space inside the tooth for the nerve and blood vessels Dentin: the inner tissue that’s located beneath the enamel Jawbone: bone that supports the tooth Root canal: passageway for nerves and blood vessels Cementum: hard material that covers the tooth roots and attaches to the periodontal ligament Periodontal ligament: tissue that anchors the tooth to the bone Nerves and blood vessels: supply the tooth with nutrients Root: part of the tooth inside the bone socket Crown: part of the tooth you can see