Tooth development

Dr. Gábor Varga

Department of Oral Biology

February, 2016
Jawbone in cross section
CP cortical plates
(compact lamellar bone)
AB alveolar bone
(spongy/bundle bone)
BB basal bone
ABP alveolar bone proper
PDL periodontal ligament
MS medullary spaces
E enamel
D dentin
 Tooth development (introduction)

• Bone formation (brief overview)

• Tooth development

• Common vs. different

• Stem cells (potential in dentistry)

Macromorphological structure of bone
 Macromorphological structure of bone

Osteon
Havers lamella

Periosteum

Osteocyte

Compact bone Trabeculae (spongy bone)

Bone formation 1 - intramembranous ossification
Intramembranous ossification involves the replacement of sheet-
like connective tissue membranes with bony tissue.

Bones formed in this manner are called intramembranous bones.

They include certain flat bones of the skull and some of the
irregular bones.

The future bones are first formed as connective tissue membranes.

Then osteoblasts migrate to the membranes and deposit bony matrix

around themselves.

When the osteoblasts are surrounded by matrix they are called

osteocytes.
 Intramembranous ossification in mandible –
calcification occurs in a separate site from Merckel’s cartilage
 Bone formation 2 - Endochondral
ossification
The process of bone formation occurs in three stages, orchestrated
by specialized bone cells that secrete and absorb materials as
needed.

First, a soft cartilage-based foundation is laid, upon which mature

bone will solidify.

Then, minerals containing calcium and phosphate are deposited

throughout the foundation, creating a framework for the bone.

Finally, this raw material is sculpted and hardened into bone.

Missteps in this process can result in developmental defects and

bone diseases
Endochondral ossification: the epiphysis of a long bone.
First is cartilage formation, then replaced by bone
 Major cell types of bone
- the basis to achieve continuous renewal!!!)
Molar Pulp Horn

longitudinal
section

the enamel
covers the dentin
 Tooth development

LAMINA BUD STAGE CAP STAGE BELL STAGE ERUPTION

Tooth development – details 1
Tooth development – details 2
Section of tooth – enamel and dentin formation
Histologic slide showing a tooth bud

A: enamel organ
B: dental papilla
C: dental follicle
Tooth bud
formation
Histologic slide of tooth in cap stage
Histologic slide of tooth in early bell stage.
Note cell organization
Histologic slide of tooth in late bell stage.
Note disintegration of dental lamina at top
Histologic slide of developing hard tissues.
Ameloblasts form enamel,
while odontoblasts form dentin.
 Histologic slide of tooth erupting into the
mouth.

A: tooth
B: gingiva
C: bone
D: periodontal ligaments
 Histologic slide of tooth.
Note the tubular appearance of dentin.

A: enamel
B: dentin
 Cross-section of tooth at root.
Note clear, acellular appearance of cementum.

A: dentin
B: cementum
Sections of tooth undergoing development.
 Neuronal development:
a link to tooth development

Tucker, A., and Sharpe, P.

The cutting-edge of mammalian development; how the embryo makes teeth.
Nature reviews 5, 499, 2004.
 Enamel organ and dental papilla
–
Their interaction is crucial for tooth developments
Control of tooth shape – ectomesemchymal dominance

OBSERVE THAT TOOTH FORM IS DETERMINED BY THE

DENTAL PAPILLA (ie the ectomesenchymal side)

Barx1 gene expression is strongly related to molar formation

a) its suppression leads to incisor formation in molar area)
b) its ectopic expression in incisor area leads to molar formation)
Control of tissue differentiation –
inductive action of mesenchyme
OBSERVE THAT TISSUE TYPE FORMATION IS
DETERMINED BY THE MESENCHYMAL SIDE
Morphogenesis of tooth
 Tooth development is driven by
communication between cells using signal
molecules activating specific receptors
Molecular components of control
 A model of the molecular regulation of
tooth development from initiation to
Epithelium crown morphogenesis

Mesenchyme
 The Runx2 gene is necessary for tooth
development -
In Runx2 knockout mice tooth developments stops at
very early stage
 Oligodontia in a human patient with
hypohydrotic ectodermal dysplasia (HED) -
The ectodysplasin gene is crucial for tooth development
Ectodysplasin stimulates tooth formation
Effect of knock-out
(KO) and
Normal overexpression of
ectodysplasin gene in
mouse

Decreased number of
Ectodysplasin molars
KO -/-

Increased number of
Ectodysplasin molars
overexpression
 Tooth development (summary)

• Bone formation (brief overview)

• Tooth development

• Common vs. Different

• Stem cells (potential in dentistry)