Tooth
Development
Odontogenesis: complex process by which teeth form from embryonic
cells, grow, and erupt into the mouth.
stomodeum, is lined by stratified squamous epithelium called the oral ectoderm.
The oral ectoderm contacts the endoderm of the foregut to form the
buccopharyngeal membrane.
At about the 27 days of gestation this membrane ruptures and the primitive oral cavity
establishes a connection with the foregut.
Neural crest cell(ectomesenchyme in origin )underlying the oral
ectoderm
Neural crest induce the overlying ectoderm to start tooth
development which begins in the future maxilla and mandible
and proceeds posteriorly.
Teeth development results from an interaction of the oral
epithelial cells and the underlying ectomesenchymal cells.
The result 20 deciduous and 32 permanent teeth developed.
Each developing tooth grows as an anatomically distinct unit. The fundamental
developmental
process is similar for all teeth(deciduous & permanent teeth).
Dental organ or tooth germ: is a term used to constitute the structure that has enamel organ,
dental papilla and dental follicle.
At 6 weeks old, certain areas of basal cells of the oral ectoderm proliferate more rapidly than
do the cells of the adjacent areas. This leads to the formation of the Primary epithelial
band
Primary epithelium band has invaded the underlying ectomesenchyme along each of the
horseshoe-shaped future dental arches .
At about 7th week the primary epithelial band divides into an
inner (lingual) process called Dental lamina and an outer (buccal) process
Dental lamina:
The dental laminae serve as the primordium for the ectodermal portion
of the deciduous teeth.
permanent molars arise directly from a distal extension of the dental
lamina.
Along the leading edges of the lamina 20 areas of enlargement next
appear, which are the forming buds of the 20 primary teeth, the
leading edge of the lamina continues to develop the 32 permanent tooth
buds.
Successional tooth buds form the permanent dentition lingual to the buds of the primary
predecessors.
Permanent molars develop posterior to the primary molars, and the general dental lamina
grows posteriorly to form the permanent molar buds.
The last teeth to arise from dental lamina are the third molars, which developed in about 4
years after birth.
The dental lamina is thus functional in developing the 52 teeth from
the
sixth prenatal week until 4 years after birth.
the activity of dental lamina extends over a period of about five years
Disintegration completely or remains as remnants in the gingiva and
the jaw and they are called epithelial rests of Serres( Serres’ pearls).
Vestibular lamina:
Another epithelial thickening develops independently and somewhat later Labial and buccal
to the dental lamina in each dental arch
It subsequently hollows and forms the oral vestibule between the alveolar portion of the
jaws and the lips and cheeks.
Physiological phases in tooth development
1-Initiation : the sites of the future teeth are established with the appearance of tooth germs along
an invagination of the oral epithelium called dental lamina.
2-Prolifertion: During this phase, Proliferative growth causes regular changes in the size and
proportions of the growing tooth germ
3-Histodifferentiation: During this phase, differentiation of cell) proceed to give rise to the fully
formed dental tissues, both mineralized ( such as enamel, dentin and cementum) and unminaralized
( such as pulp and periodontal ligament).
[Link] : During this phase, the shape of the teeth are determined by a
combination of cell proliferation and cell movement.
5-Apposition: During this phase, the deposition of dental hard tissue
occur in the tooth like dentin and enamel.
Morphological stages of tooth development
Bud stage
Round or ovoid swellings at ten different points arise from dental lamina in each jaw.
When the development of the tooth germ is initiated, proliferation of cells is still
faster than adjacent ectomesenchymal cells.
These epith. condensation is poorly morphodifferentiated and histodifferentiated.
The cells of the tooth bud have a higher RNA content, a lower glycogen content and an
increased oxidative enzyme activity.
.
Enamel organ consist of peripherally located low columnar cells and centrally
located polygonal cells.
The enamel organ is separated from the adjacent ectomesenchyme by
basement membrane.
The area of ectomesenchymal condensation immediately subjacent to the enamel organ is
the dental papilla.
The condensed ectomesenchyme that surrounds the tooth bud and the dental papilla is the
dental sac.
Both the dental papilla and the dental sac become more well defined as the enamel organ
grows into the cap and bell shapes.
Cap stage
Bud continues to proliferate into the ectomesenchyme, morphogenesis has progressed
to form a cap-shaped structure.
Although, enamel organ appearing relatively poorly histodifferentiated
Enamel organ apear rounded cells in the central portion of the enamel organ and the
peripheral cells which are becoming arranged to form the outer and inner dental epith.
Late cap stage
central cells of the enlarging enamel organ have become separated , the intercellular
spaces containing significant quantities of glycosaminoglycans.
The resulting tissue is termed the stellate reticulum, although it is not fully developed
until the late bell
The cells of the outer enamel epith. remain cuboidal
Inner e. epith. become more columnar and show an increase in RNA content, and
hydrolytic and oxidative enzyme activity.
The part of the ectomesenchyme lying beneath the inner E. epith.. is called dental
papilla.
The ectomesenchymal tissue surrounding both enamel organ and dental papilla is
called dental sac or dental follicle.
Transitory structures:
Enamel knot: It’s a localized mass of cells in the center of the inner E. epith. Once
thought that E. knot played a role in the formation of crown pattern by outlying the
cusp number.
E. knot soon disappears and seems to contribute cells to
the E. cord.
recent studies of E. knot suggest it may represent an important signaling center
during tooth development.
E. knot are non proliferative and produce molecules associated with signaling in
other sites such as molecules include bone morphogenic proteins and fibroblast
growth factor.
Enamel cord: It’s a strand of early bell stage of development. It arises in the
increasingly high enamel organ as a vertical extension of the E. knot. Its termed E. septum
when E. cord extend from E. knot to the outer E. epith.
Enamel niche: created because the dental lamina is a sheet rather than a single strand and
often contains a concavity filled with C.T. A section through this arrangement creates the
impression that the tooth germ has a double attachment to the oral epithelium by two separate
strands.