Lecture 9 questions Flashcards
what is dental calculus?
mineralized plaque that forms on the surfaces of natural teeth and dental prostheses
what are the 2 types of dental calculus
supra gingival and sub gingival
what are some characteristics of supra gingival calculus
coronal to GM, white/whitish-yellow, clay-like consistency, easily detached from tooth surface, commonly found opposite salivary ducts
what are some characteristics of sub gingival calculus
below GM, hard and dense, dark colored, extend to base of pocket but doesn’t reach JE, with gingival recession it becomes supra gingival
how do we detect calculius
tactile exploration, radiographs (not always), blast of air to open GM, and color of overlying gingiva
calculus represents a secondary product of …
infection
is calculus a primary cause of periodontitis
no
clinically, sub gingival calculus is most frequently diagnosed using which method
tactile exploration
how does calculus attache using pellicles
the underlying pellicle calcifies and attaches to cementum, enamel or dentin
how does calculus attach through surface irregularities
through caries, exposed root cementum, previous insertion of sharpey’s fibers, and root resorption
where does calcium mineralization begin
in bacterial colonies of ECM
what are the 4 forms of calcium phosphate in calculus
brushite (B), octa calcium phosphate (OCP), hydroxyapatite (HA), whitlockite (W)
what are characteristics of brushite?
basis of supra gingival calculus formation, seen in <2 week old calculus
what are characteristics of octa calcium phosphate
predominate in exterior layers, forms platelets like crystals
characteristics of hydroxyapatite
predominate in inner layers of old calculus, forms rod or sand-grain like crystals
