Modulation of Tooth Eruption - An Understanding at the Molecular and Biochemical Level

Tooth eruption is a localised event whereby the signals for eruption for a given tooth are synthesised in the dental follicle of that tooth with a possible cross talk of signals coming from the adjacent stellate reticulum.The eruption process requires alveolar bone resorption that is primarily regulated by the dental follicle.This is reflected by the fact that failures of eruption often can be traced to either osteoclast deficiencies or to dental follicle abnormalities.Recent advances in application of molecular techniques to animal models allowed for better understanding of gene regulatory events involved in the physiology of tooth eruption.This article attempts to consolidate and organise the facts that offshoot from animal studies.