What is an enamel pearl?
What is an enamel pearl?
The enamel pearl is a globule of enamel formation located on the root surface.[1] It is characterized by a core of dentin covered by enamel, and may contain a pulp chamber.[2] Histologically, the enamel pearl is often covered by a thin layer of cementum or reduced enamel epithelium.[3] The size of clinically …
What does an enamel pearl look like?
Clinical features: The enamel pearl typically appears as a round, single, solid formation on the tooth root surface. The enamel pearl may vary in size from microscopic to a few millimeters.
Do pearls have enamel?
An enamel pearl is a condition of teeth where enamel is found in locations where enamel is not supposed to be, such as on a root surface. They are usually found in the area between roots, which is called a furcation, of molars. Enamel pearls are not common in teeth with a single root….
| Enamel pearl | |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Dentistry |
How common is enamel pearl?
The mean prevalence of enamel pearls is 2.69%; when referring to only molars, it is 2.28%. Enamel pearls have a predilection for molars and are rarely associated with premolars, canines or incisors. In 20% of cases, multiple teeth are involved; 10.8% have two molars involved; 2.7% have five.
What is the location of enamel?
Enamel is the most mineralized tissue of the body, forming a very hard, thin, translucent layer of calcified tissue that covers the entire anatomic crown of the tooth. It can vary in thickness and hardness on each tooth, from tooth to tooth and from person to person.
Are enamel pearls bad?
Enamel Pearl Complications If left untreated, an enamel pearl may cause gum and bone tissue destruction. It may cause inflammation and periodontal pockets—gaps between the tooth and gums where bacteria can collect—which jeopardize the health and longevity of the tooth involved.
What are the clinical features of enamel pearl?
Clinical features: The enamel pearl typically appears as a round, single, solid formation on the tooth root surface. The enamel pearl may vary in size from microscopic to a few millimeters.
Where are enamel pearls found on a maxillary Arcus?
Their location is usually associated to molars in maxillary arcus more than in other teeth or places [ 8, 9] especially in the furcation area of second and third maxillary molars [ 10 ]. They are usually adherent to the root surface, but they can also be found within the dentine of a tooth [ 11 ].
How can a dentist tell if you have a pearl?
A dentist or hygienist may be cognizant of the nodule during a scaling procedure or as the pearls are detected in viewing the patient’s radiographs before initiating a scaling procedure. Radiographs/distinguishing characteristics: Radiographically, the enamel pearl is observed as a smooth, radiopaque structure on the root of a multirooted tooth.
Where are enamel pearls found in the Crown?
Enamel pearls are anomalies of enamel found ectopically from the crown. They have been reported since 1842 with several names with an origin that is still unclear. They are frequently located in maxillary molars, but it is possible to find them in different places and in different sizes to those previously reported.