Where are teeth in the lower jaw directly anchored?

Teeth in the lower jaw are directly anchored in the alveolar process, which is the bony ridge located on the mandible (and the maxilla). The alveolar process contains the sockets, known as alveoli, where the roots of the teeth are embedded, providing stability and support.

The body of the mandible does provide structural support, but the actual anchoring of the teeth occurs specifically in the alveolar process, which is designed for this purpose. Other regions such as the ramus and the symphysis play different roles in the anatomy of the mandible but do not serve as the primary anchoring site for the teeth. The ramus is the perpendicular part of the jaw that connects to the body, while the symphysis is the joint where the two halves of the mandible fuse at the midline, neither of which are designed to hold the teeth directly.