Epithelial Attachment: The Tooth-Gum Connection

Epithelial Attachment: The Tooth-Gum Connection

Question 1. Write briefly about epithelial attachment.
Answer:

Epithelial attachment:

• It is shown by Stem and confirmed by Listgarten and Schroeder,
• They showed the mode of attachment of the ameloblasts to the tooth, to be basal lamina to which hemidesmosomes are attached.
• This is referred to as epithelial attachment.
• Both reduced ameloblasts and gingival epithelial cells form basal lamina on enamel and cementum
• Hemidesmosomes of these cells attach to the basal lamina.
• This basal lamina is referred to as the internal basal lamina.

•   The lamina propria below the junctional epithelium keeps the epithelial cells of the junctional epithelium immature so that it can develop hemidesmosomes and attach to the tooth.
• They then migrate over it, with their attachment being maintained by the hemidesmosomes.
• The hemidesmosomes hold the cells to the basal lamina so that the strength of the attachment is not diminished despite the migration.

Question 2. Circumvallate papillae.
Answer:

• Location: Just anterior to the sulcus terininalis.
• Number: 8 – 12 in number.

Structure:

• Large round structures.
• They do not protrude above the surface
• They are surrounded by a deep, circular groove for the opening of ducts of minor salivary glands.
• They contain a connective tissue core covered by a keratinized epithelium.

Surfaces;

• Free surface – shows numerous secondary papillae covered by a thin, smooth epithelium.
• Lateral surface – contains numerous taste buds.

Functions: 

• Wash out the soluble elements of food
• The main source of salivary lipase.