What is dental epithelial attachment?

Epithelial attachment refers to the mechanism of attachment of the junctional epithelium to a tooth or dental implant, i.e., hemidesmosomes. The cells of the epithelium at this attachment point are non-keratinized and form a collar around the tooth around the cemento-enamel junction.

How does junctional epithelium attach to tooth?

The junctional epithelium (JE) is attached to the tooth surface by hemidesmosomes, which constitutes the front-line defense against periodontal bacterial infection.

What happens to the junctional epithelium in gingivitis?

Repair and Regeneration of Oral Tissues If gingivitis progresses to periodontitis, the junctional epithelium migrates apically and is responsible for the formation of the pocket epithelium.

Is an inflammatory disease of the supporting tissues of the teeth?

Periodontitis is an infection-driven inflammatory disease in tooth-supporting tissues (i.e., the periodontium).

How does damage to the periodontal attachment occur?

Damage to the periodontal attachment may be considered in relation to both the epithelial attachment and the rest of the fibre attachment. The initial priority is the epithelial seal, which occurs by mitosis and migration of basal and prickle cells from adjacent intact tissue.

How is the junctional epithelium related to the tooth surface?

Fig. 2.14. The junctional epithelium and its relationship to the tooth surface. The JE has a key role in the maintenance of periodontal health: it creates the firm attachment of the soft gingival tissue to hard tooth tissue.

What causes an epithelial attachment on the root?

It seems to be a delayed reaction to some kind of trauma close to the cemento-enamel junction or close to wherever the epithelial attachment on the root ends. 106 The exact pathogenesis is unknown, but histologically it resembles IRR with only the location being different.

Where is the gingival attachment to the tooth?

The region of greatest clinical importance is the site of gingival attachment to the tooth View Image – again, since the enamel has been removed, the actual attachment cannot be seen, but you should be able to discern the approximate area where this occurs.