Dental Ankylosis

Ankylosis can hinder the development of permanent teeth, early diagnosis and intervention is critical to avoid further progression of the issue.

Ankylosis is a dental condition where the tooth loses its ligament, resulting it to be fused to the bone. It is a condition when a tooth fuses to the surrounding bone. This fusion can cause bite misalignment, uneven gum levels, and can block permanent teeth from erupting in children and young adults. Ankylosis commonly appears in young children who don’t yet have their permanent teeth.

In normal tooth anatomy, the root portion of a tooth is attached to the bone by collagen fibers that make up the periodontal membrane, also called the periodontal ligament. In contrast, an ankylosed tooth has fused directly to the bone, which means that the periodontal ligament no longer separates the tooth from the surrounding portion of the jawbone.

Tooth ankylosis is the pathological fusion between the alveolar bone and the cementum of teeth. It is an uncommon phenomenon in the deciduous dentition or baby teeth and is even less common in permanent teeth. Ankylosis occurs when there is partial root resorption which is followed by repair with either cementum or dentine. This unites the root of the tooth with the alveolar bone, and typically occurs after trauma. However, root resorption does not always result in tooth ankylosis. The causes of tooth ankylosis remain mostly unknown. Ankylosis is far more common in deciduous teeth than in permanent teeth. Ankylosed permanent front teeth fail to erupt during facial growth and can become displaced, thus resulting in functional and aesthetic problems. Dental ankylosis is also associated with root resorption, which may eventually lead to the loss of affected teeth.