Periodontium (excluding alveolar bone)

Question 1

The periodontium is divided into two units. Name the units and their components.

Answer 1

Gingiva: free/marginal, attached, and alveolar mucosa

Attachment Unit: Cementum, PDL, Alveolar Bone

Question 2

What is the gingival sulcus?

Answer 2

SSE adjacent to tooth / internal surface of marginal gingiva.

Question 3

How deep is a healthy sulcus

Answer 3

? 2-3 mm (texts say .5 – 2mm but often 3 is present interproximal and it is still considered healthy).

Question 4

What type of tissue lines the gingival sulcus?

How does this compare to the outer surface of the free gingiva

Answer 4

Nonkeratinized SSE

Keratinized SSE – may also be transition of para to keratinized.

Question 5

What is the gingival papilla?

Answer 5

Gingiva situated between the teeth.

Question 6

How is its shape affected?

Answer 6

? Contact areas / embrasures, contour of teeth…

Question 7

How is inflammation recognized?

Answer 7

Color, contour, consistency…

Question 8

What is the name of the groove that demarcates the junction of the free gingiva and the attached gingiva?

Answer 8

Free gingival groove.

Question 9

Where does attached gingiva begin

Answer 9

@ base of sulcus

Question 10

What causes the stippled effect?

Answer 10

? Attachment of SSE to bone – gingival fibers.

Question 11

Is stippling found on marginal gingiva?

Answer 11

no

Question 12

What type of tissue covers the attached gingiva?

Answer 12

Masticatory mucosa (para/keratinized epith and dense lamina propria)

Question 13

“The darker a person’s skin color, the more likely the gingiva will be darker”. What makes this so?

Answer 13

Pigmentation in epithelium. Melanin in cells.

Question 14

Is alveolar mucosa lighter or darker in color than the gingiva? Why?

Answer 14

Vascularity makes it ‘redder’ *can see more BV and thinner non k epth.

Question 15

Briefly describe alveolar mucosa

Answer 15

Nonkeratinized SSE, loose CT with submucosa of fatty tissue / glandular tissue / not bound to bone. Located superficial to alveolar bone.

Question 16

What line separates the alveolar mucosa from the attached gingiva?

Answer 16

mucogingival

Question 17

What are Sharpey’s fibers?

Answer 17

Terminal ends of PDL fibers that insert into bone or cementum

Question 18

What are the transseptal fibers?

Answer 18

Fibers that connect interproximally tooth to tooth / travel over interdental septum. (cementum to cementum) ALSO may be called interdental ligament.

Question 19

What is the purpose of the circular bundles of connective tissue (CT) fibers which surround the teeth?

Answer 19

Hold marginal gingival tight to tooth

Question 20

What is the function of the gingival fibers?

Answer 20

As in 13 + helps to prevent displacement of gingiva / Also supports the JE attachment apparatus

Question 21

What is cementum?

Answer 21

Hard tooth tissue covering root surface

Question 22

Differentiate cellular and acellular cementum and the significance of these differences.

Answer 22

Recall structural differences! Cellular-cells trapped, apical ½, thicker than acellular. Acellular-coronal ½ - 1/3, thinner, does not get thicker over time.

Question 23

How does cementum form?

Answer 23

Cells-cementoblasts = cementoid 1st, layer upon layer – inner layers mineralize 1st.

Question 24

What will influence growth activity of cementum?

Answer 24

Changes in occlusal function, trauma, etc.