Tooth development

INTRODUCTION
• Odontogenesis is a highly co-ordinated and complex
process which relies upon cell-to-cell interactions
that result in the initiation and generation of the
tooth.

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 Initiation of Tooth Development
•Begins at 37 days of development with formation of a continuous
horseshoe-band of thickened epithelium in the location of upper and
lower jaws. Each of these bands is called as Primary Epithelial Band

Primary
Epithelial
Band

Dental lamina Vestibular lamina

(lip furrow band)

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• The key feature of the
initiation of tooth
development is the
formation of localized
thickening or
ectodermal placodes
within the epithelial
bands.

• These are the line of

thickened epithelium at
the site of future dental Schematic representation of the early
oral cavity showing the in t ern a l
arches in the embryonic surface of the upper and lower jaws
maxilla and mandible. and illustrating the position of the
primary epithelial band 5
• Because no placodes have been observed in the oral
epithelium for the second and third molar which
apparently form successionally from the preceding molars
it is believed that the dental placode initiate formation of
each tooth family.

• It is evident that placode formation is an important event

in tooth formation by determining the number of cells that
will generate a tooth family. Hence , a smaller than
normal placode may lead to missing &/or smaller teeth
and a large placode to supernumerary &/or larger teeth
respectively.

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•Dental lamina appears as a
thickening of the oral epithelium
adjacent to condensation of
ectomesenchyme.

•Acts as a primordium for

ectodermal portion of deciduous
teeth.

•The dental lamina begins to

function at 6th prenatal week
and continues to 5th year of
birth

•Permanent molars arise from

the distal extension of the dental
lamina. 7
Sagittal section through the head of an embryo. A, The thickened epithelium
of the primary epithelial band. B, The same structure at higher
magnification. C, Schematic representation of the change in plane of
cleavage during formation of the band and subsequently of the dental
 FATE OF DENTAL
LAMINA
 As the tooth continue to develop , they lose their connection with the
dental lamina.

 They later break up by mesenchymal invasion, which is at first

incomplete and does not perforate the total thickness of the lamina.

 Ramnents of dental lamina persist as epithelial pearl or islands within

the jaw as well as in gingiva. These are referred as cell rest of Serres.

A = Dental lamina
B = Mesenchymal neural crest

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 Vestibular Lamina
Vestibule is formed due to
proliferation of vestibular lamina into
the underlying ectomesenchyme
immediately after the development
of dental lamina.

The cells of vestibular lamina

rapidly enlarges and then
degenerate to form a cleft that
becomes vestibule between the
cheek and the tooth bearing area.

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A = Vestibular lamina B = Dental lamina

Oral vestibule Tooth bud

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Tooth development is a continuous
process, however can be
divided into 3 stages:

1. Bud Stage
2. Cap Stage
3. Bell Stage
4. Hertwigs epithelial root
sheath and root formation

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BUD
STAGE

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• During the bud stage the
dental lamina grows into the
mesenchyme at 10 different
points in future which will
correspond to position of
deciduous teeth.

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It is represented by the first epithelial incursion into the
ectomesenchyme of the jaw.

Bud stage is characterized by rounded, localized growth of

epithelium surrounded by proliferating mesenchymal cells,
which are packed closely beneath and around the epithelial buds
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 ENAMEL ORGAN
Peripherally located
low columnar cells
Centrally located polygonal
cells

Surrounding
ectomesenchyme
undergoes rapid mitosis.
Increased mitotic activity
and migration of neural
crest cells into the area the
ectomesenchymal cells
condenses

The area of condensation immediately subjacent to enamel

organ is the dental papilla. 14
CAP
STAGE

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As the tooth continue to proliferate it does not expand uniformly into
a larger sphere. Instead unequal growths in different part of tooth
bud leads to the cap stage, which is characterized by shallow
invagination on the deep surface of the bud.

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A: Enamel organ B: Dental lamina
C: Vestibular lamina D: Dental Papilla
E: Dental sac
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A: Stellate reticulum B:Outer enamel epithelium
C:Inner enamel epithelium D:Dental papilla
E: Dental sac
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Early cap stage of tooth
development. A condensation of the
ectomesenchyme associated with the
epithelial cap is identified easily

Cap stage of tooth development.

The epithelial enamel organ sits over
a mass of ectomesenchymal cells,
the dental papilla
DENTAL
Under the organizing influence of
PAPILLA proliferating epithelium of the
enamel organ the ectomesenchyme
that is partially enclosed by the
invaginated portion of the inner
enamel epithelium proliferates.

It condenses to form dental papilla,

which is the formative organ of the
dentin and primordium of the pulp.

The dental papilla shows active

budding of capillaries and mitotic
figures and its peripheral cells
adjacent to the inner enamel
epithelium enlarges and later on
differentiate into the odontoblasts.
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 Enamel organ

Enamel knot
Dental papilla

Dental follicle or sac

Dental follicle or dental sac is the condensed ectomesenchymal tissue
surrounding the enamel organ and dental papilla. This gives rise to
cementum and the periodontal ligament (support structures for tooth)20
 Inner enamel Dental papilla Dental sac
epithelium

Odontoblasts Periodontium
Ameloblast

Dentine
Enamel &
Pulp

Histodifferentiation begins at the end of cap stage.

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 Temporary structures
 Enamel knot
 Enamel cord
 Enamel niche

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Enamel
Knot:
• Densely packed accumulation
of cells projecting from the
inner enamel epithelium into
dental papilla. Exact role not
known, but currently
• believed to be the
organizational center for cusp
development.

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 27
Enamel cord : pattern of enamel knot that extends between IEE and OEE
Enamel knots are clusters of nondividing
epithelial cells visible in sections of molar cap
stage
Enamel knot precursor cells are first noted by expression of
p21 gene expression

Enamel knot and enamel cord are temporary structures that

disappear before enamel formation begins. It has been speculated
that the function of the enamel knot and cord may be to act as a
reservoir of dividing cells for the growing enamel organ

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 Enamel niche. This
structure is created by
the plane of a section
cutting through a
curved lateral lamina so
that mesenchyme
a p p e a r s t o b e
surrounded by dental
epithelium.

Lateral Lamina: extension from the dental lamina that is connected to the
enamel organ

Enamel niche: It is an artifact produced during sectioning of the tissue. It

occurs because the enamel organ is a sheet of proliferating cells rather than a
single strand and contains a concavity filled with ectomesenchyme

We can also see that the inner and the outer dental epithelium are being orga2n6ized
• Advanced cap
stage tooth germ
showing the
position of the
enamel knot.

•T h e d e n t a l
papilla extends
around the rim
of the enamel
organ to form
the dental follicle
 STAG
E

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 Dental lamina

Outer dental
epithelium

Inner dental
epithelium
Dental papilla
Dental follicle
Cervical loop

• Continued growth leads to bell stage, where the enamel organ resembles a bell
with deepening of the epithelium over the dental papilla

• Continuation of histodifferentiation (ameloblasts and odontoblasts are defined)

and beginning of morphodifferentiation (tooth crown assumes its final shap2e8)
 Cervical loop
Area where the inner and the outer dental epithelium meet at
the rim of the enamel organ. This point is where the cells will continue to
divide until the tooth crown attains its full size and which after crown
formation will give rise to the epithelium for root formation. Is also called
“Zone of Reflexion”.

A:Cervical loop
B:Inner enamel epithelium
C:Outer enamel epithelium
D:Stratum intermedium
E:Stellate reticulum
Early bell stage of tooth development.
A, The undersurface of the enamel organ has deepened, giving
the organ its bell shape. The dental papilla and dental follicle are
evident.
B, The distribution of alkaline phosphatase in the early tooth
germ is shown. Enzyme activity is demonstrated by the black
precipitate localized largely in the stratum intermedium
 Bell Stage (Early)
Outer dental epithelium
Stellate reticulum
Stratum intermedium

Inner dental epithelium

Dental papilla

Inner dental epithelium: Short columnar cells bordering the dental papilla.
These will eventually become ameloblasts that will form the enamel of the
tooth crown by differentiating into tall columnar cells. The cells of inner dental
epithelium exert an organizing influence on the underlying mesenchymal cells
in the dental papilla, which later differentiate into odontoblasts.

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 Bell Stage (Early)
Outer dental epithelium
Stellate reticulum

Stratum intermedium

Inner dental epithelium

Dental papilla

Stratum intermedium: Cell layer between the inner dental

epithelium and stellate reticulum which have high alkaline
phosphatase activity. They assist inner dental epithelium
(ameloblasts) to form enamel. The well developed cytoplasmic
organelle acid mucopolysaccharide and glycogen deposits indicate a
high degree of metabolic activity.
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Stellate reticulum:

• They expand further due to an increase in intracellular fluid.

The cells are star shaped. Before enamel formation begins
stellate reticulum collapses, reducing the distance between the
centrally situated ameloblasts and nutrient capillaries near the
outer enamel epithelium.

Outer dental epithelium

Stellate reticulum
Stratum intermedium

Inner dental epithelium

Dental papilla

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 Outer dental epithelium
Stellate reticulum
Stratum intermedium

Inner dental epithelium

Dental papilla

Dental Papilla: Before inner dental epithelium begins to produce enamel

the peripheral cells of the mesenchymal dental papilla differentiate into
odontoblasts under the organizing influence of the epithelium. First, they assume
a cuboidal shape and then a columnar form and acquire the specific potential to
produce dentin. The basement membrane that separates the enamel organ and
the dental papilla just prior to dentin formation is called the “membrana
preformativa”

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 Odontoblastic differentiation

Preameloblasts initiate the differentiation of odontoblasts

which arise from cells in the dental papilla. The odontoblasts are
called preodontoblasts before they begin the production of
dentin.

A, Preameloblasts
B, Preodontoblasts
C, Stellate reticulum
D, Dental papilla

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 Deposition of dentin and enamel
• Mature, elongated odontoblasts begin the deposition of
predentin. This deprives the preameloblasts of their nutritional
source inducing their differentiation into ameloblasts which then
begin to deposit enamel
• Predentin is completely organic when it is formed and gradually is
mineralized to form dentin
• Enamel is partially mineralized when it is deposited

A, Odontoblasts B, Predentin
C, Ameloblasts D, Enamel
E, Dentin
Arrows show the direction of movemen35t of
ameloblasts and odontoblasts.