NEET MDS Lessons
Dental Anatomy
Structure
There are 3 pairs
The functional unit is the adenomere.
The adenomere consists of secreting units and an intercalated duct, which opens, in a striated duct.
An secreting unit can be:
- mucous secreting
- serous secreting
THE SECRETING UNIT
THE CELLS
Serous cells
(seromucus cells=secrete also polysaccharides), They have all the features of a cell specialized for the synthesis, storage, and secretion of protein
Pyramidal, Nuclei are rounded and more centrally placed, In the basal 1/3 there is an accumulation of Granular EPR, In the apex there are proteinaceous secretory granules, Cells stain well with H & E (red), Between cells are intercellular secretory capillaries
Rough endoplasmic reticulum (ribosomal sites-->cisternae)
Prominent Golgi-->carbohydrate moieties are added
Secretory granules-->exocytosis
The secretory process is continuous but cyclic
There are complex foldings of cytoplasmic membrane
The junctional complex consists of: 1) tight junctions (zonula occludens)-->fusion of outer cell layer, 2) intermediate junction (zonula adherens)-->intercellular communication, 3)desmosomes-->firm adhesion
Mucus cells
Pyramidal, Nuclei are flattened and near the base, Have big clear secretory granules
Cells do not stain well with H & E (white)
Production, storage, and secretion of proteinaceous material; smaller enzymatic component
-more carbohydrates-->mucins=more prominent Golgi
-less prominent (conspicuous) rough endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria
-less interdigitations
Myoepithelial cells
Star-shaped, Centrally located nucleus, Long cytoplasmic arms - bound to the secretory cells by desmosomes, Have fibrils like smooth muscle, Squeeze the secretory cell
One, two or even three myoepithelial cells in each salivary and piece body, four to eight processes
Desmosomes between myoepithelial cells and secretory cells myofilaments frequently aggregated to form dark bodies along the course of the process. The myoepithelial cells of the intercalated ducts are more spindled-shaped and fewer processes
Ultrastructure very similar to that of smooth muscle cells (myofilaments, desmosomal attachments)
Functions of myoepithelial cells
-Support secretory cells
-Contract and widen the diameter of the intercalated ducts
-Contraction may aid in the rupture of acinar cells of epithelial origin
Ductal system
Three classes of ducts:
Intercalated ducts
They have small diameter; lined by small cuboidal cells; nucleus located in the center. They have a well-developed RER, Golgi apparatus, occasionally secretory granules, few microvilli. Myoepithelial cells are also present. Intercalated ducts are prominent in salivary glands having a watery secretion (parotid).
Striated ducts
They have columnar cells, a centrally located nucleus, eosinophilic cytoplasm. Prominenty striations that refer to indentations of the cytoplasmic membrane with many mitochondria present between the folds. Some RER and some Golgi. The cells have short microvilli.
The cells of the striated ducts modify the secretion (hypotonic solution=low sodium and chloride and high potassium). There is also presence of few basal cells.
Terminal excretory ducts
Near the striated ducts they have the same histology as the striated ducts. As the duct reaches the oral mucosa the lining becomes stratified. In the terminal ducts one can find goblet cells, basal cells, clear cells. The terminal ducts alter the electrolyte concentration and add mucoid substance.
Connective tissue
Presence of fibroblasts, inflammatory cells, mast cells, adipose cells
Extracellular matrix (glycoproteins and proteoglycans)
Collagen and oxytalan fibers
Nerve supply
The innervation of salivary glands is very complicated. There is no direct inhibitory innervation. There are parasympathetic and sympathetic impulses, the parasympathetic are more prevalent.
The parasympathetic impulses may occur in isolation, evoke most of the fluid to be excreted, cause exocytosis, induce contraction of myoepithelial cells (sympathetic too) and cause vasodialtion. There are two types of innervation: epilemmal and hypolemmal. There are beta-adrenergic receptors that induce protein secretion and L-adrenergic and cholinergic receptors that induce water and electrolyte secretion.
Hormones can influence the function of the salivary glands. They modify the salivary content but cannot initiate salivary flow.
Age changes
Fibrosis and fatty degenerative changes
Presence of oncocytes (eosinophilic cells containing many mitochondria)
Clinical considerations
Role of drugs, systemic disorders, bacterial or viral infections, therapeutic radiation, obstruction, formation of plaque and calculus.
- Rich capillary networks surround the adenomeres.
MANDIBULAR LATERAL INCISORS
The mandibular incisor is a little wider mesiodistal than the mandibular central incisor, and the crown is slightly longer from the incisal edge to the cervical line.
Facial Surface:-The facial surface is less symmetrical than the facial surface of the mandibular central incisor. The incisal edge slopes upward toward the mesioincisal angle, which is slightly less than 90°. The distoincisal angle is rounded. The mesial border is more nearly straight than the distal border.
Lingual Surface:- The incisal portion of the lingual surface is concave. The cingulum is quite large but blends in smoothly with the rest of the surface.
Root Surface:-The root is single and extremely flattened on its mesial and distal surfaces.
Maxillary Third Permanent Molar
They are the teeth most often congenitally missing
Facial: The crown is usually shorter in both axial and mesiodistal dimensions. Two buccal roots are present, but in most cases they are fused. The mesial buccal cusp is larger than the distal buccal cusp.
Lingual: In most thirds, there is just one large lingual cusp. In some cases there is a poorly developed distolingual cusp and a lingual groove. The lingual root is often fused to the to buccal cusps.
Proximal: The outline of the crown is rounded; it is often described as bulbous in dental literature. Technically, the mesial surface is the only 'proximal' surface. The distal surface does not contact another tooth.
Occlusal: The crown of this tooth is the smallest of the maxillary molars. The outline of the occlusal surface can be described as heart-shaped. The mesial lingual cusp is the largest, the mesial buccal is second in size, and the distal buccal cusp is the smallest.
Root Surface:-The root may have from one to as many as eight divisions. These divisions are usually fused and very often curved distally.
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.
FUNCTIONS OF PERIODONTIUM
Tooth support
Shock absorber
Sensory (vibrations appreciated in the middle ear/reflex jaw opening)
The following cells can be identified in the periodontal ligament:
a) Osteoblasts and osteoclasts b) Fibroblasts, c) Epithelial cells
Rests of Malassez
d) Macrophages
e) Undifferentiated cells
f) Cementoblasts and cementoclasts (only in pathologic conditions)
The following types of fibers are found in the PDL
-Collagen fibers: groups of fibers
-Oxytalan fibers: variant of elastic fibers, perpendicular to teeth, adjacent to capillaries
-Eluanin: variant of elastic fibers
Ground substance
PERIODONTAL LIGAMENT FIBERS
Principal fibers
These fibers connect the cementum to the alveolar crest. These are:
a. Alveolar crest group: below CE junction, downward, outward
b. Horizontal group: apical to ACG, right angle
c. Oblique group: numerous, coronally to bone, oblique direction
d. Apical group: around the apex, base of socket
e. Interradicular group: multirooted teeth
Gingival ligament fibers
This group is not strictly related to periodontium. These fibers are:
a. Dentogingival: numerous, cervical cementum to f/a gingiva
b. Alveologingival: bone to f/a gingiva
c. Circular: around neck of teeth, free gingiva
d. Dentoperiosteal: cementum to alv. process or vestibule (muscle)
e. Transseptal: cementum between adjacent teeth, over the alveolar crest
Blood supply of the PDL
The PDL gets its blood supply from perforating arteries (from the cribriform plate of the bundle bone). The small capillaries derive from the superior & inferior alveolar arteries. The blood supply is rich because the PDL has a very high turnover as a tissue. The posterior supply is more prominent than the anterior. The mandibular is more prominent than the maxillary.
Nerve supply
The nerve supply originates from the inferior or the superior alveolar nerves. The fibers enter from the apical region and lateral socket walls. The apical region contains more nerve endings (except Upper Incisors)
Dentogingival junction
This area contains the gingival sulcus. The normal depth of the sulcus is 0.5 to 3.0 mm (mean: 1.8 mm). Depth > 3.0 mm is considered pathologic. The sulcus contains the crevicular fluid
The dentogingival junction is surfaced by:
1) Gingival epithelium: stratified squamous keratinized epithelium 2) Sulcular epithelium: stratified squamous non-keratinized epithelium The lack of keratinization is probably due to inflammation and due to high turnover of this epithelium.
3) Junctional epithelium: flattened epithelial cells with widened intercellular spaces. In the epithelium one identifies neutrophils and monocytes.
Connective tissue
The connective tissue of the dentogingival junction contains inflammatory cells, especially polymorphonuclear neutrophils. These cells migrate to the sulcular and junctional epithelium.
The connective tissue that supports the sulcular epithelium is also structurally and functionally different than the connective tissue that supports the junctional epithelium.
Histology of the Col (=depression)
The col is found in the interdental gingiva. It is surfaced by epithelium that is identical to junctional epithelium. It is an important area because of the accumulation of bacteria, food debris and plaque that can cause periodontal disease.
Blood supply: periosteal vessels
Nerve supply: periodontal nerve fibers, infraorbital, palatine, lingual, mental, buccal
Dental Formula, Dental Notation, Universal Numbering System
A. Dental Formula. The dental formula expresses the type and number of teeth per side
The Universal Numbering System. The rules are as follows:
1. Permanent teeth are designated by number, beginning with the last tooth on the upper right side, going on to the last tooth on the left side, then lower left to lower right
2. Deciduous teeth are designated by letter, beginning with the last tooth on the upper right side and proceeding in clockwise fashion
Embryonic development
The parotid derives from ectoderm
The sublingual-submandibular glands thought to derive from endoderm
Differentiation of the ectomesenchyme
Development of fibrous capsule
Formation of septa that divide the gland into lobes and lobules
The parotid develops around 4-6 weeks of embryonic lofe
The submandibular gland develops around the 6th week
The sublingual and the minor glands develop around the 8-12 week
Dental Terminology.
Cusp: a point or peak on the occlusal surface of molar and premolar teeth and on the incisal edges of canines.
Contact: a point or area where one tooth is in contact (touching) another tooth
Cingulum: a bulge or elevation on the lingual surface of incisors or canines. It makes up the bulk of the cervical third of the lingual surface. Its convexity mesiodistally resembles a girdle encircling the lingual surface at the cervical.
Fissure: A linear fault that sometimes occurs in a developmental groove by incomplete or imperfect joining of the lobes. A pit is usually found at the end of a developmental groove or a place where two fissures intersect.
Lobe: one of the primary centers of formation in the development of the crown of the tooth.
Mamelon: A lobe seen on anterior teeth; any one of three rounded protuberances seen on the unworn surfaces of freshly erupted anterior teeth.
Ridge: Any linear elevation on the surface of a tooth. It is named according to its location or form. Examples are buccal ridges, incisal ridges, marginal ridges, and so on.
Marginal ridges are those rounded borders of enamel which form the margins of the surfaces of premolars and molars, mesially and distally, and the mesial and distal margins of the incisors and canines lingually.
Triangular ridges are those ridges which descend from the tips of the cusps of molars and premolars toward the central part of the occlusal surface. Transverse ridges are created when a buccal and lingual triangular ridge join.
Oblique ridges are seen on maxillary molars and are a companion to the distal oblique groove.
Cervical ridges are the height of contour at the gingival, on certain deciduous and permanent teeth.
Fossa: An irregular, rounded depression or concavity found on the surface of a tooth. A lingual fossa is found on the lingual surface of incisors. A central fossa is found on the occlusal surface of a molar. They are formed by the converging of ridges terminating at a central point in the bottom of a depression where there is a junction of grooves
Pit: A small pinpoint depression located at the junction of developmental grooves or at the terminals of these groops. A central pit is found in the central fossa on the occlusal surfaces of molars where developmental grooves join. A pit is often the site of the onset of Dental caries
Developmental groove: A sharply defined, narrow and linear depression formed during tooth development and usually separating lobes or major portions of a tooth.
A supplemental groove is also a shallow linear depression but it is usually less distinct and is more variable than a developmental groove and does not mark the junction of primary parts of a tooth.
Buccal and lingual grooves are developmental grooves found on the buccal and lingual surfaces of posterior teeth.
Tubercle: A small elevation produced by an extra formation of enamel. These occur on the marginal ridges of posterior teeth or on the cingulum of anterior teeth. These are deviations from the typical form.
Interproximal space: The triangular space between the adjacent teeth cervical to the contact point. The base of the triangle is the alveolar bone; the sides are the proximal surfaces of the adjacent teeth.
Sulcus:-An elongated valley or depression in the surface of a tooth formed by the inclines of adjacent cusp or ridges.
Embrasures: When two teeth in the same arch are in contact, their curvatures adjacent to the contact areas form spillway spaces called embrasures. There are three embrasures:
(1) Facial (buccal or labial)
(2) Occlusal or incisal
(3) Lingual
(NOTE: there are three embrasures; the fourth potential space is the interproximal space ).