A cingulid is a term used when describing

teeth A tooth ( : teeth) is a hard, calcified structure found in the jaws (or mouths) of many vertebrates and used to break down food. Some animals, particularly carnivores and omnivores, also use teeth to help with capturing or wounding prey, tear ...

, it refers to a ridge that runs around the base of the

crown A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, partic ...

of a lower tooth (the equivalent on the upper teeth is the cingulum). The presence or absence of a cingulid is often a diagnostic feature for different species of animal, especially among

mammals Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...

. Some animals don't have a cingulid. Those that do may have them on only some, or all of the teeth, though most often on the molar teeth. It can be on the upper or lower teeth, or both. There are four common descriptions of the position of the cingulid: * Lingual cingulid - a cingulid on the side of the tooth that is next to the tongue *

Labial The term ''labial'' originates from '' Labium'' (Latin for "lip"), and is the adjective that describes anything of or related to lips, such as lip-like structures. Thus, it may refer to: * the lips ** In linguistics, a labial consonant ** In zoolog ...

cingulid - a cingulid on the side of the tooth that is next to the lips or cheeks *

Distal Standard anatomical terms of location are used to unambiguously describe the anatomy of animals, including humans. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position pro ...

cingulid - a cingulid on the side of the tooth facing the tooth behind it in the jaw (can also be referred to as a posterior cingulid) *

Mesial This is a list of definitions of commonly used terms of location and direction in dentistry. This set of terms provides orientation within the oral cavity, much as anatomical terms of location provide orientation throughout the body. Terms ...

cingulid - a cingulid on the side of the tooth facing the tooth in front of it in the jaw (can also be referred to as an anterior cingulid)

References

Parts of tooth {{Vertebrate anatomy-stub