PDL and Cementum Flashcards
What are the functions of the periodontal ligament?
Tooth attachment, tooth support, sensory function, nutritive, shock absorber, for maintenance, repair and regeneration
What are the functions of the cementum?
Attaches the PDL fibers to the root, contributes to the repair of the root surface after damage, maintains the tooth in its functional position, and is involved in tooth repair and regeneration
What are the changes in cementum as we age?
Increase in cemental width: 5-10 times with increasing age, increase width is greater apically and lingually.
Accumulation of resorption bays results in increased surface irregularity
What are the changes in periodontal ligament as we age?
Decreased numbers of fibroblasts,
more irregular structure,
decreased organic matrix production and epithelial cell rests,
increased amounts of oxytalan (elastic fibers),
hypofunction: width of PDL decreases,
Decreased PDL cell proliferation (impairment of repair potential)
What is the shape of the PDL?
Hourglass
Where is the PDL narrowest?
At mid-root level
In which teeth are PDL wider?
Deciduous teeth and teeth under heavy occlusal loading
In which teeth are PDL narrower
Non-functional teeth or unerupted teeth
What is the PDL?
It is a soft, richly vascular and cellular connective tissue that surrounds the teeth and joins the cementum with the lamina dura (alveolar bone that surrounds the tooth)
What are the main functions of PDL?
- Tooth attachment: attaches cementum to lamina dura
- Tooth support: mediated by PDL principal fibres, supports tooth in the socket like a net, prevents loosening of teeth
- Sensory function: Richly supplied with nerve endings that are receptors for pain and pressure (nociceptors)
-Shock absorber: Light forces cushioned by interstitial fluid that is forced out of blood vessels
Moderate forces absorbed by extravascular tissue fluid that is forced out of PDL space into the adjacent marrow spaces
Heavy forces absorbed by the principal fibres
-Maintenance, repair and regeneration
PDL contains undifferentiated ectomesenchymal cells that can differentiate into osteoblasts, cementoblasts and fibroblasts
Contains odontoclasts, osteoclasts and cemtoclasts for remodelling
-Nutritive: well vascularised, maintain the vitality of various cells
What are the 5 principal fibres?
- Alveolar crest
- Horizontal
- Oblique
- Apical
- Interradicular
Where are alveolar crest fibres located? In which direction?
Attach to cementum below CEJ. Apically and outwards from cementum to bone
Where are horizontal fibres located? In which direction?
From alveolar crest to apical fibres. Perpendicular to long axis of tooth from cementum to alveolar bone
Where are oblique fibres located and in which direction?
From cementum in oblique direction to insert into bone coronally
Where are apical fibres located and in which direction?
Radiating from cementum around apex of root to bone forming the base of the socket
Where are interradicular fibres located and in which direction?
From cementum into bone forming crest of interradicular septum
Which teeth are interradicular fibres not found in?
Single rooted teeth
What are oblique fibres largely responsible for?
Main support against masticatory forces
What forces do horizontal fibres resist?
horizontal and tipping