age changes in oral tissues

Question 1

aging

Answer 1

aging & its effects depend on both
genetic factors
environmental factors

Question 2

general effects of aging

Answer 2

-restricted flow of blood in the lungs
-reduced strength of the heartbeat
-increasing difficulty to digest & break down fats & carbohydrates especially if the food is not chewed properly due to poor dentition
-reduced ability of the immune system to produce disease fighting antibodies
people > 45 yrs old more prone to illnesses / diseases

Question 3

cellular senescence

Answer 3

– reduced cell multiplication thus may cause cells to function inappropriately

Question 4

EFFECTS OF AGING ON ORAL TISSUES

Answer 4

ENAMEL
 DENTINE
 CEMENTUM 
 PULP
 SALIVARY GLANDS
 ORAL MUCOSA 
 FACE

Question 5

aging in enamel

Answer 5

attrition, erosion, abrasion

Question 6

aging in dentine

Answer 6

primary dentine, secondary dentine scleroticdentine

Question 7

PRIMARY DENTINE

Answer 7

forms next to enamel & circumference of the pulp

& continues until completion of the root

Question 8

SECONDARY DENTINE

Answer 8

forms after the completion of root as the
tooth comes into occlusion
secondary dentine increases in thickness
with age

Question 9

SCLEROTIC DENTINE

-Associated with physiological process

Answer 9

1. Dentinal tubules become occluded 
by minerals with age
(Deposition occurs from the 
root apex to the cervical)
2. Dentine becomes translucent
(The increase in translucency
 occur linearly with age)  
3. Sclerotic / Translucent  Dentine
(can be used in age estimation)

Question 10

What leads to the formation of sclerotic dentine? (1)

Answer 10

DIAMETER OF TUBULES GET CONSTRICTED / SMALLER WITH AGE,
Odontoblasts become crowded as they move towards the pulp. As a result some odontoblasts may disapear and the tubules become progressively occluded with the deposition of minerals to form intratubular/peritubular dentine. Theory - calcium enters the damaged process and precipitates with the phosphates (ATP & ADP) in cytoplasm. (Avery)

Question 11

What leads to the formation of sclerotic dentine? (2)

Answer 11

• poor transmission of impulse to the
• pulp thus inefficient response towards a stimulus
• changes in the cytoplasmic content of the odontoblasts thus numbers of organelles diminishes

Question 12

effect of aging on cementum

Answer 12

Thickening of CE at the root apex a result of compensatory tooth eruption in response to attrition/wear at occlusal surface,
hypercementosis

Question 13

note abt cementum

Answer 13

life-long deposition 
 occur at very slow rate 
 increased thickness (3-folds) between the age of 17 – 70 yrs with aging the surface of the Ce becomes irregular many lacunae becomes empty

Question 14

CEMENTUM hypercementosis

Answer 14

may result from chronic localised periapical inflammation problem during extraction procedure Paget’s disease – presence of hypercementosis in all teeth

Question 15

pathological sequence of cementum

Answer 15

constriction of the apical foramen / becomes narrower with age

Question 16

cementiicles

Answer 16

small globular masses of Ce found in ~35% human roots. Not always attached to the Ce surface but maybe located free in the PDL. Results of microtrauma where extra stress on Sharpeys fibre causes tear in Ce

Question 17

aging effect on Pulp

Answer 17

1. pulp becomes fibrotic
2. reduction in intercellular
   component
3. pulp chamber becomes
   smaller

Question 18

1. pulp becomes fibrotic

Answer 18

leads to reduction in the regenerative capacity of the pulp

Question 19

2. reduction in intercellular

component

Answer 19

• H2O

- cells / undifferentiated mesenchymal cells

Question 20

3. pulp chamber becomes

smaller

Answer 20

formation of 2º & 3º dentin leads to recessed pulp

Question 21

EFFECT ON PULP CAVITY

Answer 21

the size of the pulp cavity decreases/ recedes significantly with age

Question 22

PULP STONE

Answer 22

vasculature  &  nerve
  supply diminishes with
  age becomes fibrous pulpal calcification leads to formation of pulp stones
may complicate root 
  canal therapy

Question 23

SALIVARY GLANDS

Answer 23

both major & minor glands are composed of epithelium & connective tissue increased number of adipose cells with age

Question 24

EFFECT ON ORAL MUCOSA

Answer 24

apical migration of junctional epithelium
a result of passive eruption
as people aged results in:
removal of gingival fibers
removal of alveolar bone
exposure of cervical root tissue into the oral cavity

Question 25

EFFECT ON FACE

Answer 25

1. nasolabial groove 
  separates the upper
  lip from the cheek
2. similar groove appear 
  with age to delineate 
  the lower lip from the
  cheeks

Question 26

EFFECT ON PPDL

Answer 26

the distribution of PDL does not alter with the change in periodontal function or age PDL does not change with age
– different from other fibrous connective tissues

Question 27

EFFECT ON OCCLUSION

Answer 27

tooth wear causes removal of occlusal contacts cusps of teeth are worn away the curvatures of the occlusal plane are lost the plane becomes flat affects the resting interocclusal distance (resting position)