Developmental anomalies affecting the teeth are often seen in the oral cavity. Abnormalities in the physiological processes of tooth development lead to these anomolies. Talon cusp or dens evaginatus of anterior tooth is one of the dental anomalies affecting the shape of a tooth, in which an accessory cusp like structure projects from the cingulam area or cementoenamel junction.

This study visually compared the radiopacity of seven restorative materials (3 resin-modified glass-ionomer cements, 3 polyacid-modified composite resins, and 1 conventional glass-ionomer cement) to a sound tooth structure sample, and an aluminium stepwedge. All hybrid materials were more radiopaque, except for one resin-modified glass-ionomer cement, than both the tooth structure and conventio...

Plate I Photomicrographs of the human tooth germ. a. At the cap stage of development. The black punctate material is glycogen. b. At the bell stage of development. c. Undecalcified section illustrating the marked Schiff positivity of the odontoblast cytoplasm during dentinogenesis. d. Undecalcified section illustrating the distribution of alkaline phosphatase. Note the intense enzyme activity i...

Teeth are generally used for actions in which they experience mainly compressive forces acting toward the base. The ordered tooth enamel(oid) and dentin structures contribute to the high compressive strength but also to the minor shear and tensile strengths. Some vertebrates, however, use their teeth for scraping, with teeth experiencing forces directed mostly normal to their long axis. Some sc...

Loss of anterior tooth causes aesthetic and functional disharmony. Although no restorative material can approach the appearance of intact tooth enamel, glass ceramic, at the increased risk of brittle fracture, can mimic original tooth color better than the other restorative options. The newest zirconia material comes with unparalleled individualization in aesthetics and optimal physical propert...

Fracture of anterior teeth due to trauma is the most frequent type of injury affecting permanent dentition. Despite the availability of a wide range of restorative materials, none could match the properties of natural tooth structure like translucency, wear resistance, and color stability. Hence fragment re-attachment is an excellent method of restoring fractured teeth. When the fractured fragm...

This case report demonstrates sequential periodontic, orthodontic and prosthodontic treatment modalities to save and restore deep horizontally fractured maxillary central incisor. The location of fracture was deep in the mucosa which reveals less than 2 mm of tooth structure to receive the crown. The procedures like surgical crown lengthening, endodontic post placement, orthodontic forced erupt...

Limpet teeth are striking examples of a biological fibrous nanocomposite consisting of goethite mineral within a polymeric chitin matrix. The mechanical function of limpet teeth is critically dependent on the efficient composite behaviour of goethite, formed as distinct discontinuous nanofibres, reinforcing the matrix. The mechanical properties of discrete volumes from a limpet tooth measured u...

An abutment for a fixed partial denture may not contain enough tooth structure, such that the abutment does not provide an adequate 'ferrule effect'. A crown or bridge dental prosthesis that is cemented onto such an abutment/s may undergo biomechanical failure. Here, the tooth, core, and post complex, on which the crown is cemented, may fracture off from the abutment, causing the crown to separ...

When an abutment tooth is endodontically treated and is intact except for the access opening, the amount of tooth structure remaining after tooth preparation must be carefully assessed. If only a thin peripheral shell of tooth remains after reduction (which occurs frequently in incisors, canines and premolars), a cast post and core should be fabricated. In this article, the use of a prefabricat...