Lab Exercises: Tooth

development
1) Tooth development. Look at slide 23, Developing Jaw. Find the
version of the slide that has the early developing teeth. This is the
coronal section through the lower half of the head of a 120 mm
fetus. It shows the nasal septum, a lower nasal concha, a portion of
the developing maxilla and mandible, and the tongue. In most
slides, the chin is on the right side of the section if the slide label is
on your left. Also, your book has diagrams that you can follow as
you study these sections.
Very early tooth development can be seen in both the upper and
lower jaw on both sides of the mouth. Find the oral epithelium and
look for the DENTAL LAMINA which is a plate, or ridge of
epithelium which produces 10 tooth buds. The following
photographs show various stages of this early development:
This photo illustrates the earliest extension of the epithelium, called
a tooth bud. The epithelia will continue to proliferate and form a
process, shown in the following photograph.
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Tooth bud forming process, extending in from Dental lamina.
The above photograph shows continued lengthening of the process.
Note that mesenchyme has begun to condense around the base,
which is partly out of the plane of the section.
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In this photograph, the base has begun to expand by the
proliferation of the cells along the inner edge. The process becomes
attened at its end and forms the ENAMEL ORGAN.
The expansion of the Enamel organ is also shown in the above
view. Note the condensed mesenchyme around the organ.
Eventually, the enamel organ epithelia will invaginate and enclose
this mesenchyme. This region will become the tooth pulp.
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The Enamel organ has continued to expand by the proliferation of
its epithelium and the base continues to broaden. It has begun to
invaginate at one end, enclosing the condensed mesenchyme. This
is the beginning of the cap stage. See diagrams in your texts. The
area of enclosed mesenchyme is called the DENTAL PAPILLA.
Your slide 23 may have an example of a later stage which looks
more like a bell. Look for different stages as you study your slide.

The cuboidal cells on the upper part of the bell or cap are called the
OUTER or EXTERNAL dental epithelium (also called enamel
epithelium).
The more columnar cells lining the concave surface of the bell or
cap are called the INNER or INTERNAL dental or enamel
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epithelium. These will become the layer of AMELOBLASTS
which deposit enamel. In this photograph, the columnar cells to the
right (forming the base of the enamel organ, are the Inner enamel
epithelium (labeled inner). The cells lining the top of the bell (and
continuous with the process) are called the outer enamel epithelium
(outer). Cells in the center which have lots of spaces between them
are called the STELLATE RETICULUM (stellate).
This higher magnication shows the inner enamel epithelium. In
the upper left region, a portion of the stellate reticulum is also seen.
As you study these photos and your slides, identify each type of
epithelium
After the enamel organ is formed, the process extending from the
oral epithelium will proliferate to form a second tooth bud.
Eventually this will become the PERMANENT TOOTH. Try to
nd a permanent tooth bud in your slide 23.
Look at your (or your neighbor's ) slide 23 that shows tooth germs
in relatively advanced stages of development. This version of the
slide shows only a portion of the developing jaw, which contains
one tooth that is more mature.
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A low power view of the top of this tooth is shown in the above
photograph. The purple layer is the enamel layer. On top of that
layer are the Ameloblasts.
The pink layer is the dentin. The dentin is laid down by
ODONTOBLASTS. They can be seen lined along the INSIDE of
the dentin layer. The innermost region is the dental papilla which is
the future pulp cavity. Use a low power to nd these regions in your
slide.

A higher magnication shows the same layers. Find ameloblasts,
enamel, dentin, odontoblasts and dental papilla on your slides.
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This high magnication allows you to see the ameloblasts, purple
enamel, pink dentin, odontoblasts, and dentinal tubules.
To see the structure of a mature tooth, look at slide 18. The same
basic structures illustrated in the above photos can be seen, except
for the enamel and the ameloblasts. This section of a decalcied
tooth has a missing crown, because the enamel, with its high content
of calcium salts and low content of organic material has been
completely dissolved during decalcication. The Dentin can be
seen extending beyond the level of the GINGIVAL EPITHELIUM.
Find the DENTINAL TUBULES in the dentin, which radiate from
the pulp cavity. What is found in the dentinal tubules? Are they
anything like canaliculi in bone?
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Find the PULP CAVITY if you have one in your tooth slide and
note the loose connective tissue, blood vessels, nerves and the inner
lining of ODONTOBLASTS.
Look at the NECK OF THE TOOTH for the CEMENTUM.
Cementum is similar to bone, but there are no Haversian systems.
The cells in the cementum are called cementocytes. These can best
be seen at the bottom of the tooth.
In-between the tooth and the actual bone is dense connective tissue
called the PERIODONTAL LIGAMENT. It actually looks like a
tendon. Its collagenous bers run from the bone into the cementum.
What is the function of the cementocytes?

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Last updated: 02/21/11
copyright 1998 Gwen V. Childs, Ph.D.
URL Address: http://microanatomy.net/digestive/tooth.htm
Gwen V. Childs, Ph.D., WebMistress
Childsgwenv@uams.edu
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