Two primary molars in infraclusion showing clinical and radiographic signs of ankylosis, were subject to histological examination by bright field and polarization microscopy. The roots revealed signs of ongoing resorptive and reparative processes and in some areas dentin with signs of resorption-or repair cementum-were fused with simple lamellar or osteonic bone. These results suggest that ankylosis of primary molars can result from a disturbance of root resorption, with repair processes prevailing over resorptive ones and leading to excessive deposition of bone besides cementum-as a consequence of bone-inductive properties of dentin.

Alveolar Process↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Abnormalities of the maxillary incisors in children with cleft lip and palate.

Dental anomalies of the maxillary anterior teeth were studied in seventy-seven children affected by unilateral and bilateral clefts of the lip and alveolar process, with or without involvement of the palate. As for the permanent lateral incisor in the cleft area, our results show that its congenital absence is the most frequent abnormality followed by anomalies in size and shape and supernumerary teeth. Enamel hypoplasia was found to affect the permanent central incisor on the cleft side more frequently. Early recognition of tooth abnormalities during the primary dentition phase for an interceptive treatment of potentially severe problems was emphasized.

Adolescent↗