The Oral Cavity at a Too-early Age
Tooth eruption comprises the movement of teeth through the soft tissues of the jaw and the overlying mucosa into the oral cavity . The involved biological processes are not yet entirely elucidated, but the importance of the dental follicle has been established beyond doubt. Teeth may erupt too early, too late, not in the proper position, or not at all. In the latter event, one speaks of impaction. This is most often seen in lower 3rd molar teeth.
Ankylosis represents fusion of either enamel, dentin, or root cementum with adjacent alveolar bone . It may occur in impacted as well as in normally erupted teeth. It may be the result of any condition in which the vitality of the normally present intervening periodontal ligament has been jeopardized. Sometimes, ankylosis occurs in combination with external resorption. The role of the epithelial rests of Malassez in preventing ankylosis has already been mentioned before.
Both deciduous as well as permanent teeth may erupt into the oral cavity at a too-early age. Because the roots are not yet well developed at that time, the fixation of the tooth in the jaw may be compromised and the subsequent root development may be disturbed, resulting in teeth with malformed and/or too-short roots.
