INTRODUCTION:-

The word ‘eruption’ properly refers to the cutting of

the tooth through the gum.

It is generally understood to mean the axial or occlusal

movement of the tooth from its developmental
Position within the jaw to its functional position in the
occlusal plane.

Physiologic tooth movement is described as consisting

of following:-

1) Pre-eruptive tooth movement.

2) Eruptive tooth movement.

3) Post-eruptive tooth movement.

Superimposed on these movements is the replacement

of the entire deciduous dentition by the permanent
dentition.
PRE-ERUPTIVE TOOTH
MOVEMENT:-
When deciduous tooth germs first differentiate, they
are very small and a good deal of space is between
them.

This space is soon used because of the rapid growth of

the tooth germs, and crowding results, especially in
the incisor and canine region.

This crowding is then relieved by growth of the jaws

in length, which permits drifting of the tooth germs.

Permanent teeth with deciduous predecessors also

move before they reach the position from which they
will erupt.

But change in position of the tooth germ is the result

of a number of factors involving body movements of
the tooth germ, its growth, or a relative change in
position of associated deciduous and permanent tooth
germs.

For example, in fig there appears to be a considerable

change in position between the permanent incisor
tooth germ and its deciduous predecessor I the first 2
years of life.

The permanent molars, which have no deciduous

predecessors, also exhibit movement.

According to Tencate the pre-eruptive tooth

movements can be either bodily type or eccentric
growth.

During the bodily movements bone deposition and

bone resorption and bone resorption occur to allow the
movement.

Eccentric growth is represented by one part of the

tooth germ getting relatively fixed while the other part
continues to grow.

ERUPTIVE TOOTH
MOVEMENT:-

During the phase of eruptive tooth movement the tooth

moves from its position within the bone of the jaw to
its functional position in occlusion, and the principal
direction of movement is occlusal or axial.
However, as in the case of preeruptive tooth
movement, jaw growth is still occurring while most
teeth are erupting so that movement in planes other
than axial movement is superimposed on eruptive
movement.

POST-ERUPTIVE TOOTH
MOVEMENT:-

They are tooth movements that are seen after eruption

that are aimed at accommodation of jaw growth and to
compensate for occlusal and inter proximal wear.

ACCOMODATION FOR GROWTH:-

Some tooth movements occur as the jaws grow, in

order to maintain the functional position of the teeth.

The growth of the jaws is accompanied by remodeling

of the bony socket so as to readjust the position of the
teeth.
These post-eruptive tooth movements that take place
to compensate for growth changes are seen during the
second decade of life.

COMPENSATION FOR OCCLUSAL WEAR:-

One of the types of post-eruptive tooth movements is

aimed at compensation for occlusal and interproximal
wear.

Occlusal wear of the dentition is followed by axial

movement of the teeth so that occlusion is
established.

The factors that are responsible for the axial

movements are the same that cause eruption of the
teeth.

These factors such as periodontal ligament traction,

bone remodeling and hydrostatic pressure can be
responsible for the post-eruptive axial tooth
movement.
Interproximal wear at the contact points between the
teeth is compensated by mesial drifting of the teeth to
re-establish proximal contact.

The factors that are responsible for the mesial drift

are:

Anterior component of occlusal force:-

→During occlusion, and anteriorly directed
force is generated.
→This is arributed to the mesial inclination.

Transseptal fibre contraction:-

→The transseptal fibres that connect the
adjacent teeth are believed to maintain tight
contact between the teeth.

MECHANISM OF TOOTH
MOVEMENT:-

The mechanism that brings about tooth movement is

still debatable and is like to be a combination of a
number of factors.
Although many possible causes have been proposed,
only four merit serious consideration:

1) Bone remodeling

2) Root growth

3) Vascular pressure

4) Ligament traction

1) BONE REMODELING:-

Bone remodeling clearly is important to permit

tooth movement; for instance, in animals that
exhibit a genetic deficiency of osteoclasts tooth
eruption is prevented.
 If the tooth germ is removed experimentaly and the
dental follicle left intact, and eruptive pathway
forms in the overlying bone.

If the dental follicle is removed, no eruptive

pathway forms.

These experiments establish the absolute

requirement for a dental follicle to achieve bony
remodeling and tooth eruption.

It is proposed that these cells, under hormonal

influence, secrete collagenase and other proteolytic
enzymes to remove the osteoid layer.

2) ROOT GROWTH:-

According to the proponents of this theory, the

apical growth of roots results in an axially directed
force that brings about the eruption of the teeth.

This theory has not been accepted for a number of

reasons.

Teeth move a greater distance during eruption than

the increase in root length.
 In addition, the onset of root growth and eruption
do not seem to coincide.

Teeth that are malformed and lack roots also erupt

in a number of cases.

3) VASCULAR PRESSURE:-

It is known that teeth move in synchrony with the

arterial pulse, local volume changes can produce
limited tooth movement.

Ground substance can swell by up to 50% with

the addition of water, and a differentiated pressure
sufficient to cause tooth movement between the
tissues below and above and erupting tooth has
been reported in the dog.

Again, whether such pressures are the prime

movers of teeth is debatable because surgical
excision of the root, and therefore the local
vasculature, does not prevent tooth eruption.

4) LIGAMENT TRACTION:-
Experimental evidences suggest that the force
required for tooth eruption is provided by the
fibroblast present in the periodontal ligament.

The contractility of the fibroblasts is believed to

be responsible for tooth eruption.

Experiments done on laboratory animals in whom

collagen synthesis was inhibited resulted in
retarded eruption.

Another experiment done where gingival

fibroblasts were placed on a silicon rubber dish
revealed that the rubber substrate got wrinkled
due to the contractility and tractional forces
exerted by the fibroblasts.

The periodontal fibroblasts contact each other and

are connected through fibronexal connections to
the periodontal collagen fibres.

This helps in transmission of the forces from the

fibroblasts to the periodontal fibres thereby
causing axial movement of the tooth.