periodontal effect health/aging semester 1 Flashcards
Describe the clinical appearance and histological characteristics of
each of the 4 periodontal structures in health (gingiva, periodontal
ligament, cementum and alveolar bone)
gingival:
clinical appearance: firm in consistency, it may be pink colour or pigmented, knife edge margin etc
histological characteristic: part of the mucosa that surrounds the cervical portion of the teeth and the alveolar processes of the jaws
– Composed of thin outer layer of epithelium and
underlying connective tissue
– Ends coronal (above) the cemento-enamel junction
(CEJ) of each and attaches with special type of
epithelial tissue known as the junctional epithelium
periodontal ligament:
clinical appearance: n health, the periodontal
ligament (PDL) is intact and
firmly attaches the cementum of
tooth root to the alveolar bone
histological appearance: a layer of soft connective tissue that covers the root and
attaches it to the bone of tooth socket
– Composed of mostly dense fibrous connective tissue
– Also supports tooth in socket and absorbs mechanical loads placed on
tooth
cementum: a mineralized layer of connective tissue that covers the
root of the tooth
– Components of Mature Cementum
– Collagen fibers- oriented fairly parallel to long axis of tooth held together in gel-like ground
substance
– Mineralized portion- made up of hydroxyapatite crystals (calcium
& phosphate)
– Vessels and innervation- contains NO blood vessels or nerves
alveolar bone: the part of the maxilla and mandible that form and support the sockets of the teeth.Components of Alveolar Bone: mineralized connective tissue. major cell types is osteoblast and osteoclast.
Describe the composition of the periodontal structures
– Gingiva- serves to protect
underlying supporting structures
of teeth
– Cementum- provides attachment
to PDL, protects underlying
dentin and formative capacity
– Periodontal Ligament-
supporting, sensory, nutritive,
formative and resorptive
functions
– Bone- form bony sockets to
support and protect roots of teeth
Identify and describe the 4 anatomical areas of the gingiva
4 anatomical areas:
– Free gingiva
– Attached gingiva
– Interdental gingiva
– Gingival sulcus
– Free gingiva- surrounds the tooth
in a cuff-like manner
– Attached gingiva
– allows tissue to withstand
mechanical forces
(mastication, speaking, tooth
brushing)
– prevents free gingiva from
being pulled away from tooth
when tension is applied to
alveolar mucosa
– Interdental gingiva-
prevents food from
becoming packed between
teeth during mastication
– Gingival sulcus- the space
between the free gingiva
and tooth surface
Identify and demonstrate the ability to describe the clinical
characteristics of healthy gingiva
Colour:– Pink
– Pigmented
– Erythematous
– Cyanotic
Contour:Gingival margin:
– Knife-edge margins (flat and closely adapted)
– Bulbous
– Receded (shrunk away from CEJ)
– Rolled
– Scalloped
Interdental papilla:
– Pyramidal
– Bulbous
– Blunted
– Cratered (NG diseases)
Consistency:
– Firm (resilient)
– Spongy (edematous, soft)
– Retractable (flaccid) (moves away from tooth when air is
sprayed)
– Shiny
– Fibrotic (appears firm and snug to the tooth)
Identify and demonstrate the ability to describe the histological
characteristics of healthy periodontium
– Junction epithelium: is firmly
attached to by hemidesmosomes to
the enamel slightly coronal to the
CEJ
– Periodontal Ligament fibres: intact
bundles that extend between boney
walls of tooth socket to cementum of
the root
– Alveolar Bone: intact
– Gingival fibres: intact
List the common misconceptions of aging
– Tooth loss is an inevitable part of the normal aging process
– Most teeth are lost as people became ‘long in the tooth’ because
of advancing periodontal disease
– All adults are susceptible to severe periodontal disease
– Dental caries is not a common oral disease in older patients and
occurs mainly in the young
– Salivary flow is decreased in all older adults
