Crown stage

Hard tissues, including enamel and dentin, develop during the next stage of tooth development. This stage is called the crown, or maturation, stage by some researchers. Important cellular changes occur at this time. In prior stages, all of the inner enamel epithelium cells were dividing to increase the overall size of the tooth bud, but rapid dividing, called mitosis, stops during the crown stage at the location where the cusps of the teeth form. The first mineralized hard tissues form at this location. At the same time, the inner enamel epithelial cells change in shape from cuboidal to columnar. The nuclei of these cells move closer to the stratum intermedium and away from the dental papilla.

The adjacent layer of cells in the dental papilla suddenly increases in size and differentiates into odontoblasts, which are the cells that form dentin. Researchers believe that the odontoblasts would not form if it were not for the changes occurring in the inner enamel epithelium. As the changes to the inner enamel epithelium and the formation of odontoblasts continue from the tips of the cusps, the odontoblasts secrete a substance, an organic matrix, into their immediate surrounding. The organic matrix contains the material needed for dentin formation. As odontoblasts deposit organic matrix, they migrate toward the center of the dental papilla. Thus, unlike enamel, dentin starts forming in the surface closest to the outside of the tooth and proceeds inward. Cytoplasmic extensions are left behind as the odontoblasts move inward. The unique, tubular microscopic appearance of dentin is a result of the formation of dentin around these extensions.

After dentin formation begins, the cells of the inner enamel epithelium secrete an organic matrix against the dentin. This matrix immediately mineralizes and becomes the tooth's enamel. Outside the dentin are ameloblasts, which are cells that continue the process of enamel formation; therefore, enamel formation moves outwards, adding new material to the outer surface of the developing tooth.

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 ).

FORMATION OF THE ROOT AND ITS ROLE IN ERUPTION

- As dentin and enamel is deposited the shape of the future crown appears.

- The cells just superficial to the horizontal diaphragm start to proliferate and grow pushing the horizontal diaphragm down into the mesenchym.

- This forms a tube.

- This tube is the epithelial root sheath of Hertwig's.

- The mesenchym cells lying inside the tube nearest to the epithelial root sheath are induced to differentiate into odontoblasts, which then start to deposit dentin.

- After the first dentin of the root has been laid down the inner epithelial cells of the sheath start to deposit an enameloid substance called intermediate cementum.

- The root sheath cells then separate from the intermediate cementum and breaks up in a network of epithelial strands.

- The mesenchym on the outside comes into contact with the intermediate cementum and differentiate into

cementoblasts, which will deposit the cementum.

- This cementum traps the collagenic fibres, of the periodontal ligament, which are also formed.

- Epithelium of the root sheath persists as epithelial rests of Malassez. Because the epithelium of the root sheath forms from enamel epithelium it can develop into ameloblasts which will deposit enamel pearls.

- There is little space for the root to develop.

- To create space the crown is pushed out.

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.

FORMATION OF THE PERMANENT DENTITION

Twenty deciduous tooth buds are formed initially.
Proliferative activity of the dental lamina during the bell stage that leads to formation of permanent tooth buds (cap stage) lingual of each deciduous tooth germ.
Molars have no predecessors; they are formed by posterior proliferation of the dental lamina.

HARD TISSUE FORMATION

Hard tissue formation starts at the late stages of the bell stage.
Differentiatioin of cells into odontoblasts and ameloblasts.
The cells of the inner dental epithelium will become ameloblasts.
The cells of the dental papilla opposite to the inner dental epithelium will become odontoblasts.
Dentin is formed before enamel.
Dentin initiates the formation of enamel.

ROOT FORMATION

The root of the tooth is composed by dentin and cementum.
Dentinogenesis is initiated by the odontoblasts.
Odontoblasts are formed as epithelial cells continue to proliferate from the cervical loop as a double layer of cells known as Hertwig's root sheath.

TOOTH SHAPE

The shape of the crowns results from the interaction of inner dental epithelium and the dental papilla.
The cells of the inner dental epithelium have a programmed proliferation.
This internal program determines the tooth form.

The fate of the dental lamina

Rests of Serres
The rest of Serres are rests of the dental lamina identified in the gingival soft tissues.
They are round to ovoid aggregates of epithelial cells that have clear cytoplasm (glucogen rich).
They result from early breakup of the dental lamina during bell stage.

Rests of Malassez
The rests of Malassez result from breakup of the Hertwig's root sheath during root formation.
They can be identified in the periodontal ligament and are responsible for the development of radicular cysts.

Formation and Eruption of Deciduous Teeth.

-Calcification begins during the fourth month of fetal life. By the end of the sixth month, all of the deciduous teeth have begun calcification.

-By the time the deciduous teeth have fully erupted (two to two and one half years of age), cacification of the crowns of permanent teeth is under way. First permanent molars have begun cacification at the time of birth. -Here are some things to know about eruption patterns:

(1) Teeth tend to erupt in pairs. 

(2) Usually, lower deciduous teeth erupt first. Congenitally missing deciduous teeth is infrequent. Usually, the lower deciduous central incisors are thefirst to erupt thus initiating the deciduous dentition. The appearance of the deciduous second molars completes the deciduous dentition by 2 to 2 1/2 years of age.

- Deciduous teeth shed earlier and permanent teeth erupt earlier in girls.

- The orderly pattern of eruption and their orderly replacement by permanent teeth is important.

- order for eruption of the deciduous teeth is as follows:

(1) Central incisor.........Lower 6 ½ months,         Upper 7 ½ months

(2) Lateral incisor.........Lower 7 months,   Upper 8 months

(3) First deciduous molar...Lower 12-16 months, Upper 12-16 months

(4) Deciduous canine........Lower 16-20 months, Upper 16-20 months

(5) Second deciduous molar..Lower 20-30 months, Upper 20-30 months