The periodontium, which is the supporting structure of a tooth, consists of the cementum, periodontal ligaments, gingiva, and alveolar bone. Cementum is the only one of these that is a part of a tooth. Alveolar bone surrounds the roots of teeth to provide support and creates what is commonly called a "socket". Periodontal ligaments connect the alveolar bone to the cementum, and the gingiva is the surrounding tissue visible in the mouth.

Periodontal ligaments

Histology of the Periodontal Ligament (PDL)

Embryogenesis of the periodontal ligament
The PDL forms from the dental follicle shortly after root development begins
The periodontal ligament is characterized by connective tissue. The thinnest portion is at the middle third of the root. Its width decreases with age. It is a tissue with a high turnover rate.

Clinical importance of cementum

1) Deposition of cementum continues throughout life.
The effects of the continuous deposition of cementum are the maintenance of total length of the tooth (good) and constriction of the apical foramen (bad).
2) With age, the smooth surface of cementum becomes more irregular due to calcification of some ligament fiber bundles. This is referred to as spikes.

Behavior of cementum in pathologic conditions

PULP

Coronal

Occupies and resembles the crown,

Contains the pulp horns

It decreases in size with age

Radicular

Occupies roots

Contains the apical foramen

It decreases in size with age

Accessory apical canals

PULP FUNCTIONS

Inductive: The pulp anlage initiates tooth formation and probably induces the dental organ to become a particular type of tooth.

Formative: Pulp odontoblasts develop the organic matrix and function in its calcification.

Nutritive: Nourishment of dentin through the odontoblasts.

Protective: Sensory nerves in the tooth respond almost always with PAIN to all stimuli (heat, cold, pressure, operative procedures, chamical agents).

Defensive or reparative: It responds to irritation by producing reparative dentin. The response to stimuli is inflammation.

 Histologically the pulp consists of delicate collagen fibers, blood vessels, lymphatics, nerves and cells. A histologic section of the pulp reveals four cellular zones:

Odontoblastic

Cell-free (Weil)

Cell-rich

Pulp core

Mandibular First Deciduous Molar

-This tooth doesn't resemble any other tooth. It is unique unto itself.

-There are two roots.

-There is a strong bulbous enamel bulge buccally at the mesial.

- the mesiolingual cusps on this tooth is the highest and largest of the cusps.

Tooth development is the complex process by which teeth form from embryonic cells, grow, and erupt into the mouth.. For human teeth to have a healthy oral environment, enamel, dentin, cementum, and the periodontium must all develop during appropriate stages of fetal development. Primary teeth start to form between the sixth and eighth weeks in utero, and permanent teeth begin to form in the twentieth week in utero.

 Overview

The tooth bud (sometimes called the tooth germ) is an aggregation of cells that eventually forms a tooth.These cells are derived from the ectoderm of the first branchial arch and the ectomesenchyme of the neural crest.The tooth bud is organized into three parts: the enamel organ, the dental papilla and the dental follicle.

The enamel organ is composed of the outer enamel epithelium, inner enamel epithelium, stellate reticulum and stratum intermedium.These cells give rise to ameloblasts, which produce enamel and the reduced enamel epithelium. The location where the outer enamel epithelium and inner enamel epithelium join is called the cervical loop. The growth of cervical loop cells into the deeper tissues forms Hertwig's Epithelial Root Sheath, which determines the root shape of the tooth.

The dental papilla contains cells that develop into odontoblasts, which are dentin-forming cells. Additionally, the junction between the dental papilla and inner enamel epithelium determines the crown shape of a tooth. Mesenchymal cells within the dental papilla are responsible for formation of tooth pulp.

The dental follicle gives rise to three important entities: cementoblasts, osteoblasts, and fibroblasts. Cementoblasts form the cementum of a tooth. Osteoblasts give rise to the alveolar bone around the roots of teeth. Fibroblasts develop the periodontal ligaments which connect teeth to the alveolar bone through cementum.

TOOTH MORPHOLOGY

Descriptive anatomy

• Median sagittal plane: the imaginary plane in the center that divides right from left.
• Median line: an imaginary line on that plane that bisects the dental arch at the center.
• Mesial: toward the center (median) line of the dental arch.
• Distal: away from the center (median) line of the dental arch.
• Occlusal plane: A plane formed by the cusps of the teeth. It is often curved, as in a cylinder. We will speak often of the occlusal surface of a tooth.
• Proximal: the surface of a tooth that is toward another tooth in the arch.
• Mesial surface: toward the midline.
• Distal surface: away from the midline.
• Facial: toward the cheeks or lips.
• Labial: facial surface of anterior teeth (toward the lips).
• Buccal: facial surfaceof anterior teeth (toward the cheeks).
• Lingual: toward the tongue.
• Occlusal: the biting surface; that surface that articulates with an antagonist tooth in an opposing arch.
• Incisal: cutting edge of anterior teeth.
• Apical: toward the apex, the tip of the root.