Dissolution of deciduous tooth roots is a natural tooth changing process and is performed by dentoclasts. Once the roots are dissolved, the deciduous teeth fall out and the permanent teeth can erupt. Pathological, on the other hand, is root dissolution on the permanent teeth, as can be caused by necrosis.
What is deciduous tooth root dissolution?
Dissolution of the deciduous tooth root is the term used to describe a natural process that occurs during tooth change. Dissolution of the deciduous tooth root is the name given to a natural process that occurs during tooth change. In medicine, this process is also called resorption of the milk tooth roots. The so-called dentoclasts are actively involved in this resorption. These cells are body cells that break down tooth substance. The milk tooth roots anchor the teeth of small children firmly in the dentition. As the roots dissolve, the anchorage dissolves and the deciduous teeth fall out. They are then replaced by permanent teeth. The eruption of the milk teeth is to be distinguished from this, which is described by the term teething. The first milk teeth break through the jaw mucosa at an average age of six months. It takes about two to four years until the milk teeth are fully developed. A total of 12 years may pass before all milk tooth roots have dissolved and the milk teeth have been replaced by adult teeth.
Function and task
The resorption of deciduous tooth roots initiates tooth replacement. In the first step, the dentoclasts resorb desmodont of the deciduous dentition, that is, the tooth root skin. Then they set about breaking down the so-called alveolar ridge bones, also known as alveolar bones or alveolar processes. They also break down the tooth bed, which is the periodontium. Human permanent teeth are not equipped with alveolar bones and cannot erupt until the denoclasts have resorbed the alveolar bones of the deciduous teeth. Resorption begins as soon as deciduous tooth root formation is complete. The hard substances of the deciduous teeth break down cells such as osteoclasts and dentoclasts. Macrophages (scavenger cells) and fibroblasts attack the structure of the deciduous tooth tissue and the root membrane. Dentoclasts are very similar to osteoclasts. In detail, they are so-called cementoclasts, i.e. multinuclear giant cells that originate from the ectomesenchymal cells in the tooth sac. Later in life, dentoclasts can also form from undifferentiated desmodont cells. They produce collagen fibers to be mineralized for tooth formation. Thus, desmodontal fibroblasts contribute not only to decay of deciduous tooth roots, but also to cementogenesis of the permanent dentition. They are also considered cementum cells and play a close role with dentoclasts in the resorption of deciduous tooth roots. The eruption of teeth following resorption is also called second dentition. Usually, at an age of about six years, the deciduous crown of the first molar pushes out of the jaw as the first step of second dentition. If only parts of the milk teeth are still preserved in the dentition, but the permanent teeth have not yet completely erupted, then it is also called a mixed dentition, which corresponds to a transitional dentition between the milk teeth and the permanent dentition.
Diseases and complaints
Root resorption of deciduous teeth is a physiologically natural process that is rarely associated with pain or complications due to inflammation. Impaired resorption of deciduous tooth roots is also rather rare. If the roots of the permanent teeth are resorbed instead of the roots of the deciduous teeth, this is always a pathological event. The degradation of cementum and dentin in the area of one or even several teeth may correspond to either internal or external resorption. Both phenomena may be related to inflammatory processes. Internal resorptions usually occur in the interior of the tooth or in the canal of the tooth root. External resorptions are referred to surface resorption, inflammatory resorptions and replacement resorptions. Causes of internal root resorption of permanent teeth include dental diseases such as periodontitis, dental trauma, orthodontic treatment or bleaching.Dead dental nerves or cysts and tumors can also cause pathological root resorption of teeth. Dead tissue is also referred to as pulpanecrosis. In this case, the blood supply to the pulp succumbs and the tissue dies as a consequence because it is no longer supplied with oxygen. In addition to the dissolution of the root, this necrotic process can also develop into pulp gangrene, i.e. putrefactive decay of the pulp. This pathological process involves putrefactive and fermentative bacteria, which can multiply ideally in necrotic tissue. As a consequence of root resorption in the permanent teeth, the affected teeth may fall out under certain circumstances. To prevent this, causal treatment of the symptoms is essential. In the case of circulatory disorders, for example, the blood supply must be restored to prevent necrotic processes. Inflammations must be brought to heal and cysts or tumors are removed minimally invasively. In some cases, the loss of the affected tooth is to be expected as part of the removal of benign and malignant tumors. Malignant tumors in the area of the jaw occur less frequently than benign growths. However, because there is some risk of degeneration, removal of benign appearances should be done as soon as possible.
