Ultrastructure of Dentogingival Border of Normal and Replanted Tooth and Dental Implant

Abstract

The interface between the gingiva and the tooth enamel is characterized by the presence of an attachment apparatus composed of well-developed hemidesmosomes at the basal surface of the junctional epithelium and internal basement membrane (Schroeder, 1986; Bosshardt & Lang, 2005). This apparatus plays an important role in the firm attachment of the epithelium to the tooth and in sealing the periodontal tissue from the oral environment. High resolution ultrastructural studies in our laboratory provided further evidence of this effective sealing (Sawada & Inoue, 1996, 2001a, 2003). In the first part of this review article, the ultrastructure of the dentogingival border in a normal tooth is described in detail. The original attachment apparatus is mechanically broken down immediately after any surgical procedure such as tooth replantation or implantation. Whether the attachment apparatus is regenerated at the dento (implant)-gingival border in either case remains to be determined. In the latter half of this article, we will, therefore, describe the ultrastructure of the dentogingival border in replanted teeth and implants based upon our recent study (Shioya et al., 2009).