Anatomy of the Periodontium Flashcards
What is Periodontics?
The SPECIALITY of dentistry with the PREVENTION, DIAGNOSIS, and TREATMENT of diseases of tissues that surround the teeth.
What is Periodontology?
The scientific study of the periodontium in health and disease.
All of the soft tissue in the mouth are known as the ______ ______.
oral mucosa
What are the three different types of oral mucosa?
- Specialized Mucosa
- Lining (aka. alveolar) Mucosa
- Masticatory Mucosa
Describe specialized mucosa.
- Covers the dorsal surface of the tongue.
Describe lining (aka alveolar mucosa).
- Loosely attached to the underlying structures and covered with non keratinized epithelium.
- From the mucogingival junction to mucous membrane of lips, cheek, floor of the mouth, and soft palate.
Describe masticatory mucosa.
- Firmly attached to underlying bone and root and covered with parakeratinized or keratinized epithelium.
- Designed to withstand frictional forces such as toothbrushing and chewing.
- Includes the gingiva and the hard palate.
Define the periodontium.
- The functional system of tissues that surrounds the teeth and attaches them to the sockets. (aka “attachment apparatus”).
What are the components of the periodontium?
- Gingiva
- Cementum
- Alveolar bone
- Periodontal Ligament (PDL)
Characteristics of GINGIVA.
- Provides a tissue seal around the cervical portion of the tooth.
- Covers the alveolar processes of the jaw.
- Holds tissue against the tooth during mastication.
- Composed of a thin outer layer of epithelium and an underlying core of connective tissue.
Boundaries of GINGIVA.
Coronal - free gingival margin
Apical - mucogingival junction with the alveolar mucosa.
What is the FREE GINGIVA?
aka. marginal gingiva
- Located coronal to the CEJ and extends apically to the gingival groove.
- Fits snugly around the tooth but is NOT ATTACHED TO IT.
- Forms soft tissue wall of the gingival sulcus.
Explain the GINGIVAL MARGIN.
- Free gingiva meets the tooth in a thin, rounded, edge called the gingival margin.
- The margin of the free gingiva follows the contours of the teeth, creating a wavy outline.
- In health, the margin is knife-edged, firm, and smooth in texture.
What is the GINGIVAL GROOVE?
- It is a shallow, v-shaped or indentation that is closely associated with the apical extent of free gingiva.
What is the GINGIVAL SULCUS?
- It is the space between the free gingiva and the tooth surface.
- The base of the sulcus is formed by the junctional epithelium.
- The depth of a clinically normal (healthy) sulcus is 1 to 3 mm, as measured by a probe.
- Lined by NON-keratinized epithelium.
What is the INTERDENTAL GINGIVA?
- It is the portion of gingiva that fills the area between two adjacent teeth apical to the contact area.
- It consists of two interdental papilla: facial and lingual.
What is the function of the INTERDENTAL GINGIVA?
- To prevent food from becoming packed between the teeth during mastication.
What is the col?
- A valley-like depression in the INTERDENTAL GINGIVA that lies directly apical to the contact area.
- The col is absent if teeth are missing or recession is present.**
What is the ATTACHED GINGIVA?
- It is located from the end of the free gingiva to the alveolar mucosa.
- Tightly attached to the cementum on the cervical third of the root and to the periosteum of the alveolar bone.
- It is the widest in the incisor and molar regions. It is narrowest in premolar regions.
The appearance of the Attached Gingiva?
- The surface of the attached gingiva may have a dimpled appearance similar to the skin of an orange.
- Stippling is caused by the connective tissue fibers that attach the gingival tissue to the cementum and bone.
- Most prominent in anterior area and ABSENT in children under 5.
What is the function of the attached gingiva?
- The attached gingiva prevents free gingiva from being pulled away from the tooth when tension is applied to alveolar mucosa.
- Allows gingival tissue to withstand mechanical forces created during chewing, speaking, and toothbrushing.
What is the colour of the Attached Gingiva?
- The colour is pale or coral pink.
- It may be pigmented.
- Pigmentation is more frequent in dark-skinned individuals.
- The colour of pigmentation ranges from light brown to black. Also called melanin or physiological pigmentation.
Describe Cementum.
- Thin layer of hard, mineralized tissue that overlies the dentin.
- Can be distinguished from enamel by its lack of luster and its darker hue.
- Light yellow.
- Bonelike but more resistant to resorption than bone.
- DOES NOT have its own blood or nutrient supply.
- It is the thickness of a hair!
What are the functions of cementum?
- Protects the dentin.
- Seals and covers open dentinal tubules.
- Anchors the PDL on the tooth side.
- Formation at the apical area can compensate for incisal wear.
