Physiological Root Resorption of Deciduous Teeth

Abstract

The deciduous teeth are in particular important in the period of infants and young children. They begin to calcify early in the fetal period and complete formation at about three years of age, but the resorption of their roots and exfoliation encompass a time span from middle childhood to early adolescence. Following completion of the eruption of deciduous dentition, there is no further clinical tooth eruption for almost four years, although eruptive and resorptive changes to developing teeth and deciduous tooth roots continue within the bone of the maxilla and mandible. With continuing resorption, the succeeding permanent tooth comes to lie immediately beneath the shedding (resorbing) deciduous tooth. Consequently, when the deciduous tooth is shed, it consists only the crown and the uppermost portion of the root. In general, shedding of the deciduous teeth is due to the progressive resorption of their roots. The resorption process is not continuous; it alternates with periods of rest and repair. In fact, it concerns with hard tissues resorption, the removal of collagen from the periodontal ligament and mediated by highly specialized multinucleated cells referred to as odontoclasts. The exfoliation of the deciduous teeth is mainly brought about by resorption of their roots and enhances by growth and eruption of the succeeding permanent teeth.