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

Permanent dentition period  

-Maxillary / mandibular occlusal relationships are established when the last of the deciduous teeth are lost. The adult relationship of the first permanent molars is established at this time.

-Occlusal and proximal wear reduces crown height to the permanent dentition and the mesiodistal dimensions of the teeth

occlusal and proximal wear also changes the anatomy of teeth. As cusps are worn off, the occlusion can become virtually flat plane. -In the absence of rapid wear, overbite and overjet tend to remain stable.

-Mesio-distal jaw relationships tend to be stable,

With aging, the teeth change in color from off white to yellow. smoking and diet can accelerate staining or darkening of the teeth.

Gingival recession results in the incidence of more root caries . With gingival recession, some patients have sensitivity due to exposed dentin at the cemento-enamel junction.

Curve of Spee.

-The cusp tips and incisal edges align so that there is a smooth, linear curve when viewed from the lateral aspect. The mandibular curve of Spee is concave whereas the maxillary curve is convex.

-It was described by Von Spee as a 4" cylinder that engages the occlusal surfaces.

-It is called a compensating curve of the dental arch.

There is another: the Curve of Wilson. Clinically, it relates to the anterior overbite: the deeper the curve, the deeper the overbite.

Transient structures during tooth development

Enamel knot: Thickening of the internal dental epithelium at the center of the dental organ.
Enamel cord: Epithelial proliferation that seems to divide the dental organ in two.
 

Review the role of these two structures
Enamel niche: It is an artifact that is produced during section of the tissue. It occurs because the dental organ is a sheet of proliferating cells rather than a single strand. It looks like a concavity that contains ectomesenchyme.

Cementum

Composition

a. Inorganic (50%)—calcium hydroxyapatite crystals.

b. Organic (50%)—water, proteins, and type I collagen.

c. Note: Compared to the other dental tissues, the composition of cementum is most similar to bone; however, unlike bone, cementum is avascular (i.e., no Haversian systems or other vessels are present).

Main function of cementum is to attach PDL fibers to the root surface.

Cementum is generally thickest at the root apex and in interradicular areas of multirooted 

Types of cementum

a. Acellular (primary) cementum

(1) A thin layer of cementum that surrounds the root, adjacent to the dentin.

(2) May be covered by a layer of cellular cementum, which most often occurs in the middle and apical root.

(3) It does not contain any cells.

b. Cellular (secondary) cementum

(1) A thicker, less-mineralized layer of cementum that is most prevalent along the apical root and in interradicular (furcal) areas of multirooted teeth.

(2) Contains cementocytes.

(3) Lacunae and canaliculi:

(a) Cementocytes (cementoblasts that become trapped in the extracellular matrix during cementogenesis) are observed in their entrapped spaces, known as lacunae.

(b) The processes of cementocytes extend through narrow channels called canaliculi.

(4) Microscopically, the best way to differentiate between acellular and cellular cementum is the presence of lacunae in cellular cementum.

 lntraarch relationship refers to the alignment of the teeth within an arch

1. In an ideal alignment teeth should contact at their proximal crests of curvature. A continuous arch form is observed in occlusal view

Curves of the occlusal plane (a line connecting the cusp tips of the canines, premolars, and molars) are observed from the proximal view

Curve of Spee: anterior to posterior curve; for mandibular teeth the curve is concave and for maxillary teeth it is convex

Curve of Wilson- medial to lateral curve for mandibular teeth the curve is also convex and for the maxillary it is convex

2. Contact does not always exist Some permanent dentitions have normal spacing

Primary dentitions often have developmental spacing in the anterior area: some primary den titions have a pattern of spacing called primate spaces between the primary maxillary lateral incisors and canine and between the mandibular canine and first mo1ar

Disturbances to the intraarch alignment are described as

a. Qpen contact where interproximal space exist  because of missing teeth oral habits, dental disease, or overdeveloped frena

b. where contact or position is at an unexpected area because of developmental disturbances, crowding, dental caries or periodontal ligament for their misplaced position: facial, lingual. mesial, supra(supraerupted) infra (infraerupted) and torso (rotated) version