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DENTAL HEALTH….EMBRYOLOGICAL STAGES OF TOOTH DEVELOPMENT
By Dr. Neromini Fagu
The development of our teeth is a multistage process that begins very early in life during 
the embryo stage. It is important for all parts of a tooth to develop during the appropriate stages to avoid abnormalities. Several factors influence the proper development of our teeth and these include genetic, environmental and nutritional.
Our primitive mouths begin to take form after the third week of conception. After this, the tongue, jaws and palate will develop. During the sixth week after conception, the buds to form our baby teeth will start to develop and by the eight week all these tooth buds will become recognizable. The tooth buds for the adult teeth will begin to form at about the twentieth week.
Initiation Stage
The first stage of tooth development, occurring at the sixth week, is the initiation stage. Twenty enlarged areas, the future tooth buds, will begin to form at this time. The most common developmental issue in this stage, hypodontia, is the failure of a tooth to form.
Bud Stage
The next stage is called the bud stage and it occurs during the eighth week of pregnancy. This stage results in the formation of ten tooth buds in the upper and lower jaw of the fetus. Developmental anomalies that occur in this stage are related to the size of one, multiple, or all of the teeth. These anomaly conditions are called microdontia, which is smaller than normal tooth size, and macrodontia, which is larger than normal tooth size.
Cap Stage
The third stage of tooth development is the cap stage and it occurs between the ninth and tenth week of pregnancy. As the tooth bud grows it takes on the appearance of a cap, hence the name. The defects that can occur in this stage typically involve enamel formation and include Dens in Dente (tooth within a tooth), Gemination and Fusion.
Bell Stage
The fourth stage of tooth development is the bell stage. The most important function of this stage is the finalization of the shape of the crown. Two developmental anomalies that can occur in this stage are the formation of supernumerary (extra) teeth, and the development of an odontoma which is calcified tissue in the upper or lower jaw.
Apposition and Maturation Stage
Apposition and maturation are the final stages of tooth development. The most significant development here is the formation of the enamel, dentine and cementum layers of the tooth. Because this is such a critical stage it is prone to a number of anomalies including enamel hypoplasia and enamel hypocalcification. This stage is also very vulnerable to illness as fevers can produce malformed enamel and exposure to the drug tetracycline can permanently discolour enamel. Also, consumption of too much fluoride in this stage will cause white patches of hypomineralizaton in the tooth known as fluorosis.
Root Development
Once the crown has fully formed then root development begins. There are a number of anomalies that can happen during this process and they include root dilacerations, dwarfed roots, and taurodontism. Also, enamel pearls which are small, circular deposits of enamel may form on the root. Additionally, supernumerary roots can form due to trauma, pressure or metabolic diseases.
Factors needed for Tooth Development
Nutrition plays an important role in the embryonic stages of tooth development. Calcium, Phosphorus and Vitamins A, C and D are needed for a healthy tooth. Calcium and Phosphorus are needed for the formation of the hydroxyapatite crystals. Vitamin A and C are needed for the formation of the protein Keratin, and Vitamin D is needed to maintain the levels of Vitamins A and C in the bloodstream.
Fluoride, in certain amounts, is also important for the development of teeth. Fluoride is incorporated into the hydroxyapatite crystals of a developing tooth and this makes the tooth more resistant to demineralisation and tooth decay.
For more information contact OMNI DENTAL at 295 Quamina Street, Georgetown Tel: 227-0025, Parika Tel: 260-3133 or send emails to [email protected].
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