MORPHOLOGICAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HERTWIG’S EPITHELIAL ROOT SHEATH AND ITS INVOLVEMENT IN THE ROOT GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMMATURE TEETH
Abstract:
Onset of the root formation occurs after the dental crown reaches the final dimensions and the
main role in this process plays an epithelial formation, Hertwig’s sheath named after the author who
described it in 1874.Hertwig's epithelial sheath appears as a proliferation of union between inner and outer
adamantin epithelial layers of enamel organ in the underlying mesenchymal tissue making up as a thin
epithelial sheath able to induce the appearance of dental hard tissue that will form the root.When the dental
root reached its final length, Hertwig sheats disintegrates and the remaining epithelial elements are
forming some isolated islands named Mallassez epithelial debris. This study aims to point out the most
important morphological and developmental properties of Hertwig’s sheath and how is directly involved in
the root formation based on more or less recent data collected from literature.Together, all the studies
indicate that during root formation, acts as a barrier that establishes the root shape and may mediate
cementum formation, but does not secret cementum itself.Although, many studies have been made relating
to the role played by this complex formation in the radicular maturation, there are still many questions
related to its mechanism of action and involvement in apexogenesis and apexifications processes.
full text article in English (.EN) |