h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

if your gums hold your teeth in then why do some skulls still have teeth?

Because gums don't hold teeth in. They have sockets.

Hence all the unpleasant cracking when a tooth get pulled out.

B

Teeth have roots which are set into the jaw. But before your baby teeth come out, a reactions starts which dissolves the root, causing them to be held in only by the gum. That's when they become wobbly. When the baby tooth falls out, it has no roots left. Adult teeth, on the other hand have very long roots (about an inch long on the first molars). I've seen x-rays of my molars which the roots going well down into the jaw, as I had to get two of the roots treated in a long and uncomfortable session.

oh yes, root canal work is not fun - especially when you see the length of the mini-files they stick down the root. I had an upper canine done (twice) and was half expecting the file to come out my nose the way he was going at it!

Post 4 has just got you QOTD, Icky!

cheers lil! Odd choice though...

I think it might have been your vivid description of where the file might exit that did it...

congrats, ictoan.