Tooth vs. Dent — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Urooj Arif — Updated on April 28, 2024
Tooth refers to the hard, calcified structures in the jaws of vertebrates used for biting and chewing, while a dent typically denotes a small depression or hollow made by a blow or pressure.
Difference Between Tooth and Dent
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Teeth are essential components in vertebrates, including humans, primarily used for masticating food, aiding in digestion. While a dent, often caused by impact or pressure, appears on surfaces like metal or plastic and does not have a biological function.
Teeth are characterized by their hardness and durability, made up of enamel, which is the hardest tissue in the human body. Dents, on the other hand, signify damage and are usually undesired alterations to the smoothness of a surface.
Dental health focuses on maintaining the integrity and health of teeth, including practices like brushing and dental check-ups. Conversely, dealing with dents often involves repair techniques such as panel beating or filling, depending on the material affected.
In vertebrates, the number and type of teeth vary widely, adapted to their diet and evolutionary history. Dents, however, do not have such biological diversity and are uniformly defined by their indenting effect.
Teeth can also symbolize attractiveness and vitality in many cultures, influencing social interactions and confidence. In contrast, dents usually detract from the aesthetic value of an object and can decrease its functional and resale value.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Hard, calcified structure in jaws
Small depression in a surface
Function
Used for biting and chewing food
Result of damage, no intended function
Composition
Enamel, dentin, pulp
N/A (property of affected material)
Maintenance
Brushing, dental care
Repair techniques like filling
Cultural Role
Symbol of health and beauty
Generally negative aesthetic impact
Compare with Definitions
Tooth
A hard, calcified structure for chewing.
Sharks constantly grow new teeth throughout their lives.
Dent
A small depression in a surface due to impact.
The hail left several dents on the car's hood.
Tooth
A sharp, painful sensation.
She felt a tooth of conscience when lying to her friend.
Dent
To make a dent in something physically.
Dropping the book dented the wooden floor.
Tooth
Each of various small, calcareous structures in some invertebrates.
Starfish have teeth on their tube feet to help hold prey.
Dent
Figuratively, to diminish something in amount or value.
The scandal barely made a dent in his public image.
Tooth
Something resembling a tooth in shape or function.
The gear's teeth interlock perfectly with those of its mate.
Dent
To become indented.
The metal panel dented when struck by the rock.
Tooth
A projection on the edge of a tool or other object.
The saw’s tooth is designed to cut through wood efficiently.
Dent
A lasting effect of emotional or physical trauma.
The accident left a dent in her confidence.
Tooth
A tooth (plural 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, tearing food, for defensive purposes, to intimidate other animals often including their own, or to carry prey or their young.
Dent
A depression in a surface made by pressure or a blow
A dent in the side of a car.
Tooth
Each of a set of hard, bony enamel-coated structures in the jaws of most vertebrates, used for biting and chewing
Tooth decay
He clenched his teeth
Dent
(Informal) A significant, usually diminishing effect or impression
The loss put a dent in the team's confidence.
Tooth
A projecting part on a tool or other instrument, especially one of a series that function or engage together, such as a cog on a gearwheel or a point on a saw.
Dent
(Informal) Meaningful progress; headway
At least made a dent in the work.
Tooth
An appetite or liking for a particular thing
What a tooth for fruit a monkey has!
Dent
See tooth.
Tooth
Roughness given to a surface to allow colour or glue to adhere
The paper used in copying machines is good as it has tooth and takes ink well
Dent
To make a dent in.
Tooth
One of a set of hard, bonelike structures in the mouths of vertebrates, usually attached to the jaw or rooted in sockets and typically composed of a core of soft pulp surrounded by a layer of hard dentin that is coated with cementum or enamel at the crown and used for biting or chewing food or as a means of attack or defense.
Dent
To become dented
A fender that dents easily.
Tooth
A similar hard projection in an invertebrate, such as one of a set of projections on the hinge of a bivalve or on the radula of a snail.
Dent
A shallow deformation in the surface of an object, produced by an impact.
The crash produced a dent in the left side of the car.
Tooth
A projecting part resembling a tooth in shape or function, as on a comb, gear, or saw.
Dent
(figurative) A minor impact or effect made upon something.
To make a dent
Tooth
A small, notched projection along a margin, especially of a leaf. Also called dent2.
Dent
A type of maize/corn with a relatively soft outer hull, and a soft type of starch that shrinks at maturity to leave an indentation in the surface of the kernel.
Tooth
A rough surface, as of paper or metal.
Dent
A sudden negative change, such as loss, damage, weakening, consumption or diminution, especially one produced by an external force, event or action
That purchase put a bit of a dent in my wallet.
Tooth
Often teeth Something that injures or destroys with force
The teeth of the blizzard.
Dent
(engineering) A tooth, as of a card, a gear wheel, etc.
Tooth
Teeth Effective means of enforcement; muscle
"This ... puts real teeth into something where there has been only lip service" (Ellen Convisser).
Dent
(weaving) A slot or a wire in a reed
Tooth
To furnish (a tool, for example) with teeth.
Dent
(transitive) To impact something, producing a dent.
Tooth
To make a jagged edge on.
Dent
(intransitive) To develop a dent or dents.
Copper is soft and dents easily.
Tooth
To become interlocked; mesh.
Dent
A stroke; a blow.
Tooth
A hard, calcareous structure present in the mouth of many vertebrate animals, generally used for eating.
Dent
A slight depression, or small notch or hollow, made by a blow or by pressure; an indentation.
A blow that would have made a dent in a pound of butter.
Tooth
A sharp projection on the blade of a saw or similar implement.
Dent
A tooth, as of a card, a gear wheel, etc.
Tooth
A projection on the edge of a gear that meshes with similar projections on adjacent gears, or on the circumference of a cog that engages with a chain.
Dent
To make a dent upon; to indent.
The houses dented with bullets.
Tooth
Of a rope, the stickiness when in contact with another rope as in a knot.
Jute has more tooth than polypropylene.
Dent
An appreciable consequence (especially a lessening);
It made a dent in my bank account
Tooth
(zoology) A projection or point in other parts of the body resembling the tooth of a vertebrate animal.
Dent
A depression scratched or carved into a surface
Tooth
(botany) A pointed projection from the margin of a leaf.
Dent
An impression in a surface (as made by a blow)
Tooth
(animation) The rough surface of some kinds of cel or other films that allows better adhesion of artwork.
Dent
Make a depression into;
The bicycle dented my car
Tooth
(figurative) Liking, fondness (compare toothsome).
I have a sweet tooth: I love sugary treats.
Tooth
(algebraic geometry) An irreducible component of a comb that intersects the handle in exactly one point, that point being distinct from the unique point of intersection for any other tooth of the comb.
Tooth
To provide or furnish with teeth.
Tooth
To indent; to jag.
To tooth a saw
Tooth
To lock into each other, like gear wheels.
Tooth
One of the hard, bony appendages which are borne on the jaws, or on other bones in the walls of the mouth or pharynx of most vertebrates, and which usually aid in the prehension and mastication of food.
How sharper than a serpent's tooth it isTo have a thankless child!
Tooth
Fig.: Taste; palate.
These are not dishes for thy dainty tooth.
Tooth
Any projection corresponding to the tooth of an animal, in shape, position, or office; as, the teeth, or cogs, of a cogwheel; a tooth, prong, or tine, of a fork; a tooth, or the teeth, of a rake, a saw, a file, a card.
Tooth
A projecting member resembling a tenon, but fitting into a mortise that is only sunk, not pierced through.
Tooth
An angular or prominence on any edge; as, a tooth on the scale of a fish, or on a leaf of a plant
Tooth
Any hard calcareous or chitinous organ found in the mouth of various invertebrates and used in feeding or procuring food; as, the teeth of a mollusk or a starfish.
Tooth
To furnish with teeth.
The twin cards toothed with glittering wire.
Tooth
To indent; to jag; as, to tooth a saw.
Tooth
Hard bonelike structures in the jaws of vertebrates; used for biting and chewing or for attack and defense
Tooth
Something resembling the tooth of an animal
Tooth
Toothlike structure in invertebrates found in the mouth or alimentary canal or on a shell
Tooth
A means of enforcement;
The treaty had no teeth in it
Tooth
One of a number of uniform projections on a gear
Common Curiosities
Do all vertebrates have teeth?
Not all; some vertebrates, like certain fish species, do not have teeth.
What is the primary function of a tooth?
Teeth are primarily used for biting and chewing food.
What causes a dent?
Dents are typically caused by an external force or impact.
How are teeth maintained?
Teeth require regular brushing and dental check-ups.
Can dents be repaired?
Yes, dents can often be repaired using various techniques depending on the material.
What materials can get dented?
Metals, plastics, and even wood can be susceptible to dents.
What does a dent in a car typically indicate?
It indicates physical damage, usually from an impact.
Can teeth regenerate?
Human teeth do not regenerate, though some animals’ teeth can.
Are teeth always visible?
While most teeth are visible when the mouth is open, some are set deeper in the jaw.
Is a dentist involved with dents?
No, dentists deal with teeth; dents are usually handled by other types of professionals.
How does a dent affect the value of an object?
It typically decreases the aesthetic and resale value.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
