Cementum Flashcards
What is cementum?
Cementum is the mineralised connective tissue that lines the root of the tooth
It is a highly responsive mineralised tissue, maintaining the integrity of the root and helping to maintain the tooth in its functional position.
Cementum only forms a thin layer on the root
What does the cementum help do?
Helps to attach the tooth tot he alveolar bone via the periodontal ligament
Describe the formation of cementum throughout life and what this allows for
It is formed slowly but continuously throughout life, and this allows for continual reattachment of the periodontal ligament fibres.
How many tissues make up the periodontium and what are they called?
4 tissues make up the periodontal:
- Cementum
- Alveolar bone
- Periodontal ligament
- Lamina propria
What components make up cementum?
Cementum contains by wet-weight: 65% inorganic material 23% organic material 12% water
Compare cementum to dentine
The tissues in cementum are generally softer and more permeable than dentine but some acellular zones may be more highly calcified than dentine.
What is the principle inorganic component of cementum?
The hydroxyapatite crystal
Describe the hydroxyapatite crystals
The hydroxyapatite crystals are thin, plate-like and similar to those in bone
Describe the chemical properties of cementum
It may be acellular or cellular
It is a vital tissue made up of cementoblasts and cementocytes
Has extrinsic and intrinsic fibres (primarily type I collagen)
State the similarities between cementum and bone
They both have a similar chemical composition and similar physicals properties
Both there organic matrix consisting primarily of type I collagen.
State the differences between cementum and bone
Cementum is devoid of blood vessels and nerves and is also less readily resorbed, allowing for orthodontic tooth movement.
Cementum does not have a lamellar appearance and has no marrow spaces.
What is the organic matrix of cementum primarily made up of?
Collagen
Mostly all is type I but types III, V, VI and XII have been found in small quantities
Describe the non-collagenous elements in cementum
They are assumed to be similar those found in bone including sialoprotein, dentine sialoprotein, fibronectin and osteopontin
What are the noncollagenous elements that make up cementum
sialoprotein, dentine sialoprotein, fibronectin and osteopontin.
Apart from noncollagenous elements and collagen what else makes up the organic matrix of cementum?
Cementum is rich in glycosaminoglycans, predominantly chondroitin sulphate. It also contains proteoglycans and many growth factors.
Where are the collagen fibres in cementum derived from?
Cementum derives its collagen fibres from two sources:
- From the inserting Sharpey’s fibres of the periodontal ligment
- From the cementoblasts
What are collagen fibres from the the sharpey’s fibres of the periodontal ligament called?
Referred to as the extrinsic fibres
What are collagen fibres derived from the cementoblasts?
Intrinsic fibres
What is mixed fibre cementum?
Where both extrinsic and intrinsic fibres are present, the tissue may be termed mixed fibre cementum
What is the precementum?
It is a thin layer of uncalcifed matrix on the surface of the cellular variety of cementum
What are the four different ways to classify cementum
- Cellular and acellular cementum
- Primary and secondary cementum
- Classifcation based on the presence or absence of cells
- Afibrillar cementum
What is the difference between Cellular and acellular cementum?
CELLULAR CEMENTUM, contains cells (cementocytes) Cellular cementum forms later, predominantly at and around the root apex and overlying the acellular cement
Cellular cementum is also common in interradicular areas
ACELLULAR CEMENTUM does not contain cells. Acellular cementum is the first formed cementum and forms a relatively thin covering over the whole root
What is the difference between primary and secondary cementum?
Acellular cementum is sometimes termed primary cementum
Cellular cementum is sometimes termed secondary cementum.
How can cementum be classified based on the presence or absence of cells
Based on the presence or absence of cells and on the nature and origin of the organic matrix:
- Acellular extrinsic fibre cementum
- Cellular intrinsic fibre cementum
- Cellular mixed stratified cementum
- Cellular mixed fibre cementum.
What is acellular extrinsic fibre cementum?
AEFC is located mainly over the cervical half of the root and constitutes the bulk of cementum in some teeth (E.G. in premolars).
For this type of cementum all the collagen is derived as Sharpey fbres from the periodontal ligament
It corresponds with primary acellular cementum and is formed slowly.
Describe cellular intrinsic fibre cementum
CIFC is composed only of intrinsic fibres running parallel to the root surface.
The absence of Sharpey fibres means that intrinsic fibre cementum has no role in tooth attachment.
It may be found in patches in the apical region. It may be a temporary phase, with extrinsic fibres subsequently gaining a reattachment, or may represent a permanent region without attaching fibres.
It corresponds to secondary cellular cementum and is found in the apical third of the root and in the interradicular areas.
CIFC has a layer of cementoid on its outer surface similar to the osteoid seen in bone.
Describe Cellular mixed stratified cementum
It is seen most commonly in the apical and the furcation areas of posterior teeth, shows alternation of both the cellular intrinsic fibre cementum and acellular extrinsic fibre cementum.
Describe the Cellular mixed fibre cementum
Occasionally normal cellular intrinsic cementum does give attachment to some extrinsic fibres arising from the periodontal ligament.
When and where is afibrillar cementum deposited?
May be deposited as a thin layer overlying enamel at the cervical margin of the tooth.
Why might afibrillar cementum form?
One explanation for this presumes that the reduced enamel epithelium overlying and protecting this cervical enamel in an unerupted tooth is damaged or lost allowing cells of the dental follicle to come into contact
with the enamel surface where they are induced to form cementoblasts.
Describe acellular cementum
Has no cells
Border with dentine not clearly demarcated
Rate of development relatively slow
Incremental lines relatively close together
Precementum layer virtually absent
Describe cellular cementum
Lacunae and canailculi containing cementocytes and their processes
Border with dentine with dentine clearly demarcated
Rate of development relatively fast
Incremental lines relatively wide apart
Precementum layer present
Which type of cementum, acellular or cellular have a faster rate of development?
Cellular cementum
How does the periodontal ligament fibres attach to the cementum?
- The unmineralised fibres of the periodontal ligament run into the organic matrix of precementum that is secreted by cementoblasts.
- Subsequent mineralisation of precementum will incorporate the extrinsic fibres as Sharpey fibres.
- These fibres are mineralised within the cementum but unmineralised in the ligament. They are formed by periodontal fibroblasts and their orientation differs from those fibres produced by cementoblasts.
Where are Sharpey’s fibres abundant?
Sharpey’s fibres are abundant in acellular cementum.
What is the role of cellular cementum?
Cellular cementum is usually present as intrinsic fibre type and does not act in a supportive role as no Sharpey’s fibres from the periodontal ligament are inserted into it.