Saturday, July 30, 2022

Human Tooth Development : Bell Stage


The bell stage is known for the histodifferentiation and morphodifferentiation that takes place. The dental organ is bell-shaped during this stage, and the majority of its cells are called stellate reticulum because of their star-shaped appearance. The bell stage is divided into the early bell stage and the late bell stage. Cells on the periphery of the enamel organ separate into four important layers. Cuboidal cells on the periphery of the dental organ are known as outer enamel epithelium (OEE). The columnar cells of the enamel organ adjacent to the enamel papilla are known as inner enamel epithelium (IEE). The cells between the IEE and the stellate reticulum form a layer known as the stratum intermedium. The rim of the enamel organ where the outer and inner enamel epithelium join is called the cervical loop.

In summary, the layers in order of innermost to outermost consist of dentin, enamel (formed by IEE, or 'ameloblasts', as they move outwards/upwards), inner enamel epithelium and stratum intermedium (stratified cells that support the synthetic activity of the inner enamel epithelium) What follows is part of the initial 'enamel organ', the center of which is made up of stellate reticulum cells that serve to protect the enamel organ. This is all encased by the OEE layer.

Other events occur during the bell stage. The dental lamina disintegrates, leaving the developing teeth completely separated from the epithelium of the oral cavity; the two will not join again until the final eruption of the tooth into the mouth.

The crown of the tooth, which is influenced by the shape of the inner enamel epithelium, also takes shape during this stage. Throughout the mouth, all teeth undergo this same process; it is still uncertain why teeth form various crown shapes—for instance, incisors versus canines. There are two dominant hypotheses. The "field model" proposes there are components for each type of tooth shape found in the ectomesenchyme during tooth development. The components for particular types of teeth, such as incisors, are localized in one area and dissipate rapidly in different parts of the mouth. Thus, for example, the "incisor field" has factors that develop teeth into incisor shape, and this field is concentrated in the central incisor area, but decreases rapidly in the canine area.

The other dominant hypothesis, the "clone model", proposes that the epithelium programs a group of ectomesenchymal cells to generate teeth of particular shapes. This group of cells, called a clone, coaxes the dental lamina into tooth development, causing a tooth bud to form. Growth of the dental lamina continues in an area called the "progress zone". Once the progress zone travels a certain distance from the first tooth bud, a second tooth bud will start to develop. These two models are not necessarily mutually exclusive, nor does widely accepted dental science consider them to be so: it is postulated that both models influence tooth development at different times.

Other structures that may appear in a developing tooth in this stage are enamel knots, enamel cords, and enamel niche.

Read more, here.

707-453-1776
1001 Nut Tree Rd, Ste 230
Vacaville, CA 95687
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Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Human Tooth Development : Cap Stage

The first signs of an arrangement of cells in the tooth bud occur in the cap stage. A small group of ectomesenchymal cells stops producing extracellular substances, which results in an aggregation of these cells called the dental papilla. At this point, the tooth bud grows around the ectomesenchymal aggregation, taking on the appearance of a cap, and becomes the enamel (or dental) organ covering the dental papilla. A condensation of ectomesenchymal cells called the dental sac or follicle surrounds the enamel organ and limits the dental papilla. Eventually, the enamel organ will produce enamel, the dental papilla will produce dentin and pulp, and the dental sac will produce all the supporting structures of a tooth, the periodontium.

Read more, here.

707-453-1776
1001 Nut Tree Rd, Ste 230
Vacaville, CA 95687
donnathedentist@gmail.com

Sunday, July 24, 2022

EVERYONE Does THIS Wrong When Brushing Teeth


Let's talk about the DOs and DON'Ts of brushing your teeth :)

You might be brushing your teeth twice a day already, but do you know how to properly brush your teeth? A lot of people think that they do, but they’re actually doing it wrong. When you brush your teeth incorrectly, it can damage your gums or lead to extra tartar buildup and tooth decay. Although I’m a big advocate of electric toothbrushes, most people still use a manual brush. If so, this toothbrushing guide is for you!

Technically, when it comes down to how to properly brush your teeth, you want to be spending at least two minutes. If you time yourself, you’re probably not even doing half of that. Most people only brush for about 30-45 seconds! If you don’t spend the time you need to get your teeth clean, that plaque and tartar buildup will start to catch up with you and cause tooth decay.

707-453-1776
1001 Nut Tree Rd, Ste 230
Vacaville, CA 95687
donnathedentist@gmail.com

Thursday, July 21, 2022

Human Tooth Development : Bud Stage

The bud stage is characterized by the appearance of a tooth bud without a clear arrangement of cells. The stage technically begins once epithelial cells proliferate into the ectomesenchyme of the jaw. Typically, this occurs when the fetus is around 8 weeks old. The tooth bud itself is the group of cells at the periphery of the dental lamina.

Along with the formation of the dental lamina, 10 round epithelial structures, each referred to as a bud, develop at the distal aspect of the dental lamina of each arch. These correspond to the 10 primary teeth of each dental arch, and they signify the bud stage of tooth development. Each bud is separated from the ectomesenchyme by a basement membrane. Ectomesenchymal cells congregate deep to the bud, forming a cluster of cells, which is the initiation of the condensation of the ectomesenchyme. The remaining ectomesenchymal cells are arranged in a more or less haphazardly uniform fashion.

Read more, here.

707-453-1776
1001 Nut Tree Rd, Ste 230
Vacaville, CA 95687
donnathedentist@gmail.com

Monday, July 18, 2022

Human Tooth Development : Stages

Tooth development is commonly divided into the following stages: the initiation stage, the bud stage, the cap stage, the bell stage, and finally maturation. The staging of tooth development is an attempt to categorize changes that take place along a continuum; frequently it is difficult to decide what stage should be assigned to a particular developing tooth. This determination is further complicated by the varying appearance of different histologic sections of the same developing tooth, which can appear to be different stages.

Initiation Stage
One of the earliest signs in the formation of a tooth that can be seen microscopically is the distinction between the vestibular lamina and the dental lamina. It occurs in the sixth to seventh week of the embryonic life. The dental lamina connects the developing tooth bud to the epithelial layer of the mouth for a significant time. This is regarded as the initiation stage.

Read more, here.

707-453-1776
1001 Nut Tree Rd, Ste 230
Vacaville, CA 95687
donnathedentist@gmail.com

Friday, July 15, 2022

Dental Terminology (How To Understand Your Dentist)


It can be super confusing trying to understand what your dentist or dental hygienist is saying during your appointment.  Some patients say it sounds like we are speaking in code!  By using specific dental vocabulary - it helps dental professionals to more accurately communicate exactly what they see in your mouth.  This video gives you tips and tricks on how to decipher this descriptive dental vocabulary/jargon/language :)

707-453-1776
1001 Nut Tree Rd, Ste 230
Vacaville, CA 95687
donnathedentist@gmail.com

Tuesday, July 12, 2022

Human Tooth Development


Tooth development or odontogenesis 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, all parts of the tooth must develop during appropriate stages of fetal development. Primary (baby) teeth start to form between the sixth and eighth week of prenatal development, and permanent teeth begin to form in the twentieth week. If teeth do not start to develop at or near these times, they will not develop at all, resulting in hypodontia or anodontia.

A significant amount of research has focused on determining the processes that initiate tooth development. It is widely accepted that there is a factor within the tissues of the first pharyngeal arch that is necessary for the development of teeth.

Tooth development is commonly divided into the following stages: the initiation stage, the bud stage, the cap stage, the bell stage, and finally maturation. The staging of tooth development is an attempt to categorize changes that take place along a continuum; frequently it is difficult to decide what stage should be assigned to a particular developing tooth. This determination is further complicated by the varying appearance of different histologic sections of the same developing tooth, which can appear to be different stages.

Read more, here.

707-453-1776
1001 Nut Tree Rd, Ste 230
Vacaville, CA 95687
donnathedentist@gmail.com

Saturday, July 9, 2022

Ameloblasts


Ameloblasts are cells present only during tooth development that deposit tooth enamel, which is the hard outermost layer of the tooth forming the surface of the crown.

Each ameloblast is a columnar cell approximately 4 micrometers in diameter, 40 micrometers in length and is hexagonal in cross section. The secretory end of the ameloblast ends in a six-sided pyramid-like projection known as the Tomes' process. The angulation of the Tomes' process is significant in the orientation of enamel rods, the basic unit of tooth enamel. Distal terminal bars are junctional complexes that separate the Tomes' processes from ameloblast proper.

Read more, here.

707-453-1776
1001 Nut Tree Rd, Ste 230
Vacaville, CA 95687
donnathedentist@gmail.com

Wednesday, July 6, 2022

Why Are My Teeth TRANSLUCENT & How to FIX It 🦷


Let's talk about the reasons why your teeth may appear translucent and what to do about it!

Teeth are usually glossy looking and have some type of a sheen to them - transparency actually isn't the "normal look" for teeth. But if you have significant enamel damage, it can look like you have translucent teeth. Some translucency—especially along the biting edges of your front teeth—isn’t all that abnormal. But when we have translucency on a large scale, it’s usually due to something physically happening to your teeth that’s causing structural damage to them.

Generally speaking, dentists and dental lab technicians actually want some translucency when it comes to repairing broken teeth. That’s why certain types of porcelains or ceramics are recommended for repairing your “smile zone.” If the material was completely opaque, it would stand out and look unnatural.
To understand why teeth look translucent or clear, we have to first break down the layers of a tooth structure. First, we have the enamel which is the outermost coating or “shell” that goes around the crown of your tooth (the part that isn’t covered by gum tissue.) Enamel is some shade of white and is more transparent than any of the other tooth structures. 

Next is dentin. Dentin makes up the bulk of your tooth. It’s the part under the enamel and that composes the majority of your tooth root. Dentin is yellow. Its shade and density impact the overall color of your teeth.

Cementum is an extremely thin layer that goes over the dentin on the root portion (not the crown.) You typically cannot see it, but microscopically it’s there.

Out of all three of these layers, enamel is the most transparent. While it’s not typically “see-through”, it does have some transparency to it in that light can shine through or bounce off of the structure. It’s not completely rock solid to the point where light can’t penetrate that area.

If you have more translucent teeth than someone else, or you notice that your teeth are starting to be more clear than they used to be, it means some type of physical change is going on with these tooth structures.

707-453-1776
1001 Nut Tree Rd, Ste 230
Vacaville, CA 95687
donnathedentist@gmail.com

Sunday, July 3, 2022

Tooth Enamel : Other Mammals & Other Organisms


Other Mammals
For the most part, research has shown that the formation of tooth enamel in animals is almost identical to formation in humans. The enamel organ, including the dental papilla, and ameloblasts function similarly. The variations of enamel that are present are infrequent but sometimes important. Differences exist, certainly, in the morphology, number, and types of teeth among animals.

Dogs are less likely than humans to have tooth decay due to the high pH of dog saliva, which prevents an acidic environment from forming and the subsequent demineralization of enamel which would occur. In the event that tooth decay does occur (usually from trauma), dogs can receive dental fillings just as humans do. Similar to human teeth, the enamel of dogs is vulnerable to tetracycline staining. Consequently, this risk must be accounted for when tetracycline antibiotic therapy is administered to young dogs. Enamel hypoplasia may also occur in dogs.

The mineral distribution in rodent enamel is different from that of monkeys, dogs, pigs, and humans. In horse teeth, the enamel and dentin layers are intertwined with each other, which increases the strength and wear resistance of those teeth.

Other Organisms
Enamel or enameloid is found in the dermal denticles of sharks and many early vertebrates, and it appeared there before gnathostome teeth evolved. The ganoin that covers the scales of many actinopterygians is probably derived from enamel. Enamel-like substances also coat the jaws of some crustacea, but this is not homologous with vertebrate enamel. Enameloid covers some fish scales.

Read more, here.

707-453-1776
1001 Nut Tree Rd, Ste 230
Vacaville, CA 95687
donnathedentist@gmail.com