Gomphosis

Abstract: The present investigation was undertaken to examine whether a new connective tissue attachment will form on previously periodontitis-involved roots when reduced but healthy periodontal ligament tissue persists following periodontal treatment and the epithelium is prevented from migrating into the wound. In each of 4 monkeys, periodontal tissue breakdown was induced around one maxillary and one mandibular second premolar or first molar by placing orthodontic elastics around the teeth. The elastics were kept in situ until about 50% of the supporting tissues had been lost. 3 months following removal of the elastics, the crowns of the teeth were resected. The pocket epithelium and subjacent granulation tissue were excised and the cementum of the periodontitis-involved part of the roots was removed using a diamond bur. The roots were covered with a mucosal flap. The animals were sacrificed after 3 months of healing. The jaws were removed and histological sections of the experimental roots including their surrounding periodontal tissues were produced. The microscopic analysis disclosed that in all roots, new cementum with inserting collagen fibers had formed in the apical portion of the previously exposed root surfaces. It was always in continuity with the original cementum layer apical to the instrumental part of the root and was thickest in its apical portion, becoming gradually thinner in the coronal direction. In the roots, which for the entire length of the study remained covered by the oral mucosa, the extension in the coronal direction of this newly formed fibrous attachment amounted to an average of 1.0 mm with a range from 0.1 mm to 2.6 mm. These findings were interpreted to mean that new attachment is formed by coronal migration of cells originating from the periodontal ligament.

Abstract: The periodontal ligament (PDL) and alveolar bone are two critical tissues for understanding orthodontic tooth movement. The current literature is replete with descriptive studies of multiple cell types and their matrices in the PDL and alveolar bone, but is deficient with how stem/progenitor cells differentiate into PDL and alveolar bone cells. Can one type of orthodontic force with a specific magnitude and frequency activate osteoblasts, whereas another force type activates osteoclasts? This chapter will discuss the biology of not only mature cells and their matrices in the periodontal ligament and alveolar bone, but also stem/progenitor cells that differentiate into fibroblasts, osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Key advances in tooth movement rely on further understanding of osteoblast and fibroblast differentiation from mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells, and osteoclastogenesis from the hematopoietic/monocyte lineage.

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognosis of 50 consecutively autotransplanted teeth to the maxillary incisor region. Thirty-five were transplanted in cases of traumatic injuries, eleven in cases of agenesis and four in cases with impaction of maxillary canines. The average follow-up time was 7 years and 6 months (range 4–17 years). The transplants were examined clinically in respect of tooth vitality and radiographically in respect of root canal obliteration, periradicular changes, root formation, and root length. The results show a success rate of 82 per cent. It is concluded that the procedure of tooth transplantation has the advantage of maintaining or restoring alveolar bone volume and gives the opportunity to replace a missing tooth without involvement of neighbouring teeth as prosthetic abutments.