Experimental Investigation of Factors Causing Resorption of Deciduous Teeth

¹ Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Warsaw, Poland

The eruption of permanent teeth was not the only factor causing resorption of deciduous teeth. The process occurred even when the underlying tooth germ was failing. A normally erupting permanent tooth germ hastened and regulated the resorption of the deciduous tooth. The general development of the organism and the consequent widening divergence between th structure of the deciduous tooth and its function were not without influence on deciduous tooth resorption. This resorption was dependent on any kind of mechanical occlusal trauma that accelerated the process. All inflammatory states occurring in the deciduous tooth and in its attachment hastened its resorption.

The aim of the investigation, carried out on 29 dogs, was to establish the effect on the resorption of deciduous teeth of such factors as the presence of permanent tooth germs, mechanical-occlusal forces, and inflammation. The experiments consisted of controlling the factors specified.

In 20 animals, the maxillary incisor and canine germs were removed. The course of resorption after germectomy was followed in 13 dogs without further interference. In 4 other dogs, a splint-bridge was applied to protect partially the maxillary incisors from mechanical occlusal forces. The deciduous teeth (maxillary canines and incisors) of 3 dogs were coated with autopolymerizing resin. This treatment in some instances produced pulp necrosis in the teeth under study and in all cases caused continuous inflammation of the gingival tissue.

After germectomy, resorption of deciduous teeth was considerably delayed, as compared with the normal. Protection of the teeth by the splint-bridge retarded this process still more and intensified restoration activity (secondary dentin and osteodentin). By causing inflammation, autopolymerizing resin, on the contrary, significantly advanced resorption of temporary teeth as compared with the normal. In 9 dogs, the direction of tooth eruption was changed by osteotomy, and the result obtained was also a delay in resorption of the deciduous teeth.

The results of the experiments described lead to the assumption that the resorption of deciduous teeth is dependent on the eruption of the germs of permanent teeth, on the general development of the organism, on mechanical-occlusal trauma, and eventually on pathologic processes occurring in the tooth and its attachment.

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