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Cementum is a specialized calcified substance covering the root of a tooth. The cementum is the part of the periodontium that attaches the teeth to the alveolar bone by anchoring the periodontal ligament.
The paired submandibular glands are major salivary glands located beneath the floor of the mouth. In adult humans, they each weigh about 15 grams and contribute some 60–67% of unstimulated saliva secretion; on stimulation their contribution decreases in proportion as parotid gland secretion rises to 50%. The average length of the normal adult human submandibular salivary gland is approximately 27 mm, while the average width is approximately 14.3 mm.
The gums or gingiva consist of the mucosal tissue that lies over the mandible and maxilla inside the mouth. Gum health and disease can have an effect on general health.
The sublingual gland is a seromucous polystomatic exocrine gland. Located underneath the oral diaphragm, the sublingual gland is the smallest and most diffuse of the three major salivary glands of the oral cavity, with the other two being the submandibular and parotid. The sublingual gland provides approximately 3-5% of the total salivary volume.
Ameloblasts are cells present only during tooth development that deposit tooth enamel, which is the hard outermost layer of the tooth forming the surface of the crown.
Tooth development or odontogenesis is the complex process by which teeth form from embryonic cells, grow, and erupt into the mouth. For human teeth to have a healthy oral environment, all parts of the tooth must develop during appropriate stages of fetal development. Primary (baby) teeth start to form between the sixth and eighth week of prenatal development, and permanent teeth begin to form in the twentieth week. If teeth do not start to develop at or near these times, they will not develop at all, resulting in hypodontia or anodontia.
Amelogenesis is the formation of enamel on teeth and begins when the crown is forming during the advanced bell stage of tooth development after dentinogenesis forms a first layer of dentin. Dentin must be present for enamel to be formed. Ameloblasts must also be present for dentinogenesis to continue.
In embryology and prenatal development, the dental papilla is a condensation of ectomesenchymal cells called odontoblasts, seen in histologic sections of a developing tooth. It lies below a cellular aggregation known as the enamel organ. The dental papilla appears after 8–10 weeks of intra uteral life. The dental papilla gives rise to the dentin and pulp of a tooth.
A periodontal probe is an instrument in dentistry commonly used in the dental armamentarium. It is usually long, thin, and blunted at the end. Its main function is to evaluate the depth of the pockets surrounding a tooth in order to determine the periodontium's overall health. For accuracy and readability, the instrument's head has markings written on it.
The parotid duct or Stensen duct is a salivary duct. It is the route that saliva takes from the major salivary gland, the parotid gland, into the mouth. It opens into the mouth opposite the second upper molar tooth.
A cementoblast is a biological cell that forms from the follicular cells around the root of a tooth, and whose biological function is cementogenesis, which is the formation of cementum. The mechanism of differentiation of the cementoblasts is controversial but circumstantial evidence suggests that an epithelium or epithelial component may cause dental sac cells to differentiate into cementoblasts, characterised by an increase in length. Other theories involve Hertwig epithelial root sheath (HERS) being involved.
The Hertwig epithelial root sheath (HERS) or epithelial root sheath is a proliferation of epithelial cells located at the cervical loop of the enamel organ in a developing tooth. Hertwig epithelial root sheath initiates the formation of dentin in the root of a tooth by causing the differentiation of odontoblasts from the dental papilla. The root sheath eventually disintegrates with the periodontal ligament, but residual pieces that do not completely disappear are seen as epithelial cell rests of Malassez (ERM). These rests can become cystic, presenting future periodontal infections.
Cementogenesis is the formation of cementum, one of the three mineralized substances of a tooth. Cementum covers the roots of teeth and serves to anchor gingival and periodontal fibers of the periodontal ligament by the fibers to the alveolar bone.
Dental anatomy is a field of anatomy dedicated to the study of human tooth structures. The development, appearance, and classification of teeth fall within its purview. Tooth formation begins before birth, and the teeth's eventual morphology is dictated during this time. Dental anatomy is also a taxonomical science: it is concerned with the naming of teeth and the structures of which they are made, this information serving a practical purpose in dental treatment.
Gingival and periodontal pockets are dental terms indicating the presence of an abnormal depth of the gingival sulcus near the point at which the gingival tissue contacts the tooth.
The junctional epithelium (JE) is that epithelium which lies at, and in health also defines, the base of the gingival sulcus. The probing depth of the gingival sulcus is measured by a calibrated periodontal probe. In a healthy-case scenario, the probe is gently inserted, slides by the sulcular epithelium (SE), and is stopped by the epithelial attachment (EA). However, the probing depth of the gingival sulcus may be considerably different from the true histological gingival sulcus depth.
Hypercementosis is an idiopathic, non-neoplastic condition characterized by the excessive buildup of normal cementum on the roots of one or more teeth. A thicker layer of cementum can give the tooth an enlarged appearance, which mainly occurs at the apex or apices of the tooth.
Angularis nigra, Latin for 'black angle', also known as open gingival embrasures, and colloquially known as "black triangle", is the space or gap seen at the cervical embrasure, below the contact point of some teeth. The interdental papilla does not fully enclose the space, leading to an aperture between adjacent teeth. This gap has many causes including gingival recession, and gingival withdrawal post-orthodontic work. Interdental "black triangles" were rated as the third-most-disliked aesthetic problem below caries and crown margins. Treatment of angularis nigra often requires an interdisciplinary approach, involving periodontal, orthodontic and restorative treatment. Possible treatments to correct angularis nigra include addition of composite resin in the space, veneer placement, or gum graft. Angularis nigra is generally only treated based on the aesthetic preference of the patient.
Lingual papillae are small structures on the upper surface of the tongue that give it its characteristic rough texture. The four types of papillae on the human tongue have different structures and are accordingly classified as circumvallate, fungiform, filiform, and foliate. All except the filiform papillae are associated with taste buds.
Hard tissue, refers to "normal" calcified tissue, is the tissue which is mineralized and has a firm intercellular matrix. The hard tissues of humans are bone, tooth enamel, dentin, and cementum. The term is in contrast to soft tissue.
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