Dental terminology: - Apical → towards the tip of the root

- Coronal → towards the crown

- Interproximal space → space between 2 adjacent teeth (Nb: interproximal surface is the

adjacent surfaces between those teeth)

- Mesial surface → interproximal surface of the tooth nearest to the central incisor

C.f.: distal surface which is surface of tooth farthest from central incisor

- Labia/buccal aspect → outer surface next to cheeks/lips

C.f.: lingual (for mandibular teeth) and palatal for maxillary teeth

- Crown → visible portion, covered by enamels

- Apex→ tip of root

- Cementum → roots covered in this

- Cervical line = cement-enamel junction

- Furcation → point where roots on a multi-rooted tooth branch from the crown

- Alveolar bone→ bone in which the roots lie

- Alveolar juga → prominence of the roots in the maxillary canine and caudal cheek teeth that

can be palpated and occasional seen

- Dentin → hard, pale yellow layer, forms bulk of tooth structure (covered by enamel in crown

and cementum in the root)

Starts off thin, becomes thicker as tooth matures

- Pulp→ inner most layer = nervous, vascular and loose CT

- Pulp chamber→ portion of pulp in the down (from the chamber down the roots are the pulp

canals)

- Apical foramen → at apex of root = small hole for blood vessels and nerves to enter the

tooth

Diphyodonts (aka 2 sets of teeth) - Dogs, cats, cows, horses, people

- Deciduous (aka primary)

- Permanent (secondary) teeth

- Non-successional teeth → permanent (i.e. molars which not have a deciduous counterpart)

- Successional → i.e. had a deciduous set before them

- Mixed dentition → combo of deciduous and permanent teeth, i.e. when you haven’t finished

loosing your baby teeth

Retained deciduous teeth → malocclusions of permanent teeth

Usually located labial to permanent tooth (except maxillary canine teeth

that are located behind the permanent canine tooth

Cat and Dog Dentition

Deciduous Dentition Permanent Dentition

Dog 2 (I3/3, C1/1, P3/P3) = 28 teeth 2 (I3/3, C1/1, P4/P4, M2/M3) = 42 teeth

Cat 2 (I3/3, C1/1, P3/P2) = 26 teeth 2 (I3/I3, C1/C1, P3/P2, M1/M1) = 30 teeth

- Nb: largest cheek teeth

Mandibular M1 (aka carnassial)

Maxilla M4

- Oligodontia = ↓number of teeth

Problems with genetics

Puppies missing deciduous teeth will also miss the same permanent teeth

- Supernumerary teeth = extra teeth

Crowding and misalignment (consider extraction)

→ periodontal disease

Mandibular P4 = most common in cats

Dog: The first maxillary cheek tooth has one root, the next two have two roots, and the next three have three

roots. The mandibular cheek teeth in the dog all have two roots except for the first and the last cheek teeth which

have one root each

Cat: all the incisors and canines have one root. The first maxillary cheek tooth has one root, the next tooth has

two roots, and the next tooth has three roots. The small maxillary first molar in the cat has two small roots that

are often adhered to each other, a condition known as concrescence. The mandibular cheek teeth in a cat all

have two roots.

Enamel hypoplasia

- Incomplete/defective formation of enamel

- Caused by disruption of ameloblasts whilst teeth are developing

High fever, infections (Canine distemper), trauma, nutritional deficiencies, metabolic

or system disorders

Brittle enamel peels off

Incisors = 1 root

Canines = 1 root

PM1 = 1 root

PM2, 3, 4 = 2 roots

M1 & 2 = 2 roots

M3 = 1 root

M1 & 2 = 3

PM4= 3

PM2 & 3 = 2

PM1 = 1

Dentine underneath becomes stained

Fractured teeth

- Cat: most common = canine tooth (trauma)

- Dog: most common fractures = canine, incisors and maxillary PM4

- Pulpal exposure →

Bacterial pulpitis

Pulp necrosis

Apical granuloma

Periapical abscess

Acute alveolar periodontitis

Osteomyelitis, sepsis

- Signs of pulp exposure on radiographs

Periapical lysis

Dark halo around root tip

Large asymmetrical pulp chambers/canals c.f. contralateral teeth

Gutta-percha point (as a radioopaque maker) placed in draining tract pointing to

apex of affected tooth

- Tx: endodontic tx (i.e. root canal) or extraction

Gingival Tissue - Non-attached

= free or marginal gingival

Most coronal part

No attachment to tooth/bone

Gingival sulcus = non-pathological space between free gingival and tooth

Dogs: 1-3mm

Cats: 0.5-1mm

Depth varies with age, size, specific tooth, breed etc

- Attached

Covers neck of each tooth and covers alveolar process

When making mucoperiosteal flaps you are elevating the gingival and the

attached periosteum

Alveolar mucosa → over the alveolar bone, located apical to the attached gingival

Only attached loosely to the underlying bone

Line separating the two = mucogingival junction

Draining tracts 2° to periodontal disease are located coronal to the junction

Draining tracts 2° to pulpal/endodontic disease located apical to junction

- Interdental

I.e. between teeth

Periodontium - Gingica + epitherlial attachment (cuff of gingica at bottom of gingival sulcus that holds

gongova and tooth together) + periodontal ligament + alveolar bone + cementum

epitherlial attachment = cuff of gingica at bottom of gingival sulcus that holds

gongova and tooth together

rads → periodontal ligament = radiolucent line outlining tooth roots

Periodontal disease - most common cat/dog disease

85% dogs > 4yrs have significant disease

- Begins as gingivitis

- Progresses and affects deeper tissues (inc epithelial attachment, periodontal ligament,

alveolar bone)

- Measure depth of sulcus with periodontal probe

- Lead to →haemorrhage, oronasal fistula, abscess, pathological #, may penetrate retro-

bulbar space/globe