Periodontal Anatomy and Occlusion – Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from periodontal anatomy and occlusion concepts.

Alveolar bone

The bone that surrounds tooth roots, forms the tooth socket, and provides support for teeth with the periodontal ligament.

Tooth root surface

The portion of a tooth root covered by cementum where the periodontal ligament attaches.

Periodontal ligament (PDL)

Fibrous connective tissue between cementum and alveolar bone that supports the tooth; cushions forces and contains Sharpey’s fibers. It is also apical, oblique, horizontal, alveolar crest, and transseptal.

Gingiva

The gum tissue around teeth, comprising free gingiva and attached keratinized gingiva; forms the gingival sulcus.

Free gingiva

Gingiva surrounding the tooth but not attached to bone; forms the gingival sulcus.

Attached gingiva

Keratinized gingiva tightly bound to underlying bone, extending from the free gingival margin to the mucogingival junction.

Gingival sulcus

The shallow crevice between the tooth surface and the free gingiva that can be probed.

Operculum

Is a flap of gingiva over the last molar that can be inflamed

Gingival margin

The edge of the gingiva closest to the tooth crown.

Functions of healthy gingiva

• Support

• Protection

• Esthetics

• Phonetics

Phonetics

Affected by open embrasures that allow air to “whistle” through spaces

Anatomy of diseased periodontium

• Gingivitis

• Periodontists: bone loss

• Gingival recession

Interdental papilla

Gingival tissue between adjacent teeth.

Zone of attached gingiva

The portion of gingiva that is firmly bound to underlying bone and does not move with the mucosa.

Mucogingival junction

The boundary between keratinized attached gingiva and nonkeratinized alveolar mucosa.

Free gingival groove

A shallow groove marking the boundary between free and attached gingiva.

Alveolar mucosa

Movable, nonkeratinized mucosa located apical to the attached gingiva.

Zones of gingiva

Regions including alveolar mucosa, zone of attached gingiva, gingival groove, gingival margin, and interdental papilla.

Gingivitis

Inflammation of the gingiva; mild cases show slight bleeding on probing (BOP).

Periodontitis

Inflammation with bone loss around teeth, evidenced by radiographic bone loss.

Gingival recession

Apical migration of the gingival margin; may include gingival clefting.

Furcation involvement

Involvement of the furcation area on multi-rooted teeth; assessed with a furcation probe and can harbor calculus.

Furcation probe

A specialized periodontal probe used to assess involvement of the furcation area. This can be with facial/lingual and proximal.

Plaque vs Calculus

Plaque is a soft biofilm on teeth; calculus is mineralized plaque that can form supragingival or subgingival. Difficult areas to clean are CEJ,Concavities, Furcations, Contours at the line angles.

Subgingival calculus

Calculus located below the gingival margin, often harder to remove.

Clinical Attachment Loss (CAL)

Distance from the CEJ to the bottom of the pocket; measures loss of periodontal support.

Bleeding on probing (BOP)

Bleeding elicited by periodontal probing; indicator of gingival inflammation.

Lack of Attached Gingiva

Insufficient or absent attached gingiva, a mucogingival defect.

Proximal contact areas

Areas where adjacent teeth touch; influence embrasures and plaque control.

Interproximal spaces

Spaces between adjacent teeth, which may be open or closed depending on contact points.

Embrasures

Spillways around contact areas between teeth; affect self-cleaning and esthetics.

CEJ (Cementoenamel junction)

The junction where enamel meets cementum on a tooth; used as a reference point for CAL.

Cementum

Thin calcified tissue covering the root; provides attachment for PDL fibers.

Facial Line Angles

The lines are more prominent than lingual line angle of the same teeth. Overall we got different line angles.

Ideal Class I Occlusion (Normal or Neutroclusion)

This is when both the maxillary teeth have good alignment. Normal bite to say. But is the front teeth stick out to much that is an over jet.

Crowding

The most common contributor to malocclusion, one or many teeth are involved in misplacement

Overjet

The maxillary incisors are sticked more out so its not touching the mandíbulas incisors

Sharpey’s fibers

Ends of periodontal ligaments inserting into cementum and bone to suspend the tooth.

Masticatory mucosa

Keratinized mucosa including gingiva and hard palate that withstands mastication.

Articulations

How the entire masticatory system (the jaws, teeth, and supporting structures) act ask a complete single entity like chewing or breakdown of foods.

Centric Relation

A stable bone to bone (maxillary and mandible) relationship that occurs when the mandible condyles are in their most superior and anterior position within the temporomandibular joint (TMJ)

Lining mucosa

Nonkeratinized mucosa lining lips, cheeks, floor of mouth, and other areas.

Specialized mucosa

Mucosa on the dorsum of the tongue containing taste papillae.

Circumvallate papillae

Large taste papillae located at the posterior part of the tongue.

Filiform papillae

Thread-like papillae covering most of the tongue; do not contain taste buds.

Fungiform papillae

Mushroom-shaped taste papillae scattered on the tongue.

Lingual nerve

Branch of the mandibular nerve providing sensation to the tongue.

Frenum

Fold of tissue attaching lips or cheeks to the gingiva (labial or buccal frenum).

Occlusal device (bite plane)

An appliance worn to reduce tooth wear and modify occlusion (night guard).

Maximal intercuspal position (MIP)

The position of maximum tooth contact when the jaws are in centric occlusion.

overbite

this is an icreased vertical overlap of the maxillary incisors

open bite

a lack of vertical overlap of the maxillary inciors results in an opening of the anterior teeth when occluded

cross-bite

a tooth is not properly aligned with its opposing tooth

How Malocclusions are caused?

The most common cause is disproportion in size between the jaw and teeth or between the upper and lower jaws. But its also cause by genetics/hereditary

Class II Malocclusion (Distal Occlusion)

your jaw is back (retro) also your central incisiors are in but the laterals are out

Class III Malocclusion

This is when your jaw is sticked out

Functional Movements: Chewing and Swallowing

• Incising

• Masticating (Chewing)

• Swallowing

Examples of parafunctional contacts

• clenching

• bruxing (teeth grinding)

• biting on pipe stem, pencil, fingernails

• cheek biting etc..

  overall doing something that your teeth are not made to do

Possible symptoms related to parafunctional contacts

• ringing in ears

• sinus pain

• dizziness

• head, neck, and or/back aches

• TMJ pain (also from arthritis, injury)

• Tired muscles of mastication

• sore tooth (sensitive to percussion)

Possible symptoms related to parafunctional contacts

• Tooth mobility (fremitus)

• Tooth wear (flat, shiny facets)

• Widened periodontal ligament

• Angular bone loss

• Thickened lamina dura (seen on radiographs)

• Root resorption

Benefits of orthodontic treatment

• Psychosocial problems

  • Severe malocclusion and dental facial deformities can be a social handicap

• Oral malfunction

  • Malocclusion can compromise all aspects of oral function

• Dental disease

  • ****Malocclusion can contribute to dental decay and periodontal disease

Developmental causes of malocclusion

• Congenitally missing teeth

• Malformed teeth

• Supernumerary teeth

• Interference with eruption

• Ectopic eruption

Periodontal ligament

• Composed of fibers that attach to the alveolar bone and the cementum

• Provides a hammock that the tooth sits in

• Acts as a shock absorber

• Socket the tooth sits in is called the alveolus

• Sharpey’s fibers--the ends of the collagen fibers from the PDL that are inserted into the cementum on one side and the bone

Periodontl ligaments fibers

Principal fiber groups (5 types):

• alveolar crest

• horizontal

• oblique

• apical

• interradicular--between roots of multirooted teeth

Periodontal Ligament: Gingival Fiber Groups

• Dentogingival (free gingiva)

• Alveologingival (attached gingiva)

• Circumferential (circular)

• Dentoperiosteal (alveolar crest)

• Transseptal

Cementum

• Thin layer of calcified connective tissue

• Covers anatomical root

• Provides attachment for periodontal fiber groups

Free Gingival Groove

• A shallow linear groove that demarcates the free and the attached gingiva

• Can be seen in 1/3rd of teeth with healthy gingiva

• Is approximately at the

    bottom of the gingival

    sulcus

Mucosa

3 divisions or categories

• Masticatory

  • Gingiva and

  • Hard palate

• Lining

  • Inner surfaces of lips & cheeks,

  • Floor of the mouth,

  • Ventral surface of the tongue,

  • Soft palate, and

  • Alveolar mucosa

• Specialized mucosa:

  • Dorsum of tongue

Lining Mucosa

• Thin, movable, easily injured

• Nonkeratinized

• Not firmly attached to underlying tissues

• Components are the:

  • Alveolar mucosa

  • Inside of lips & cheeks

  • Floor of the mouth

  • Ventral surface of tongue

  • Soft palate