Periohistology Quiz 1 Answers

1. The gingiva consists of which type of mucosa?

a. Alveolar mucosa
b. Masticatory mucosa
c. Specialized mucosa

Answer: b - Masticatory mucosa - The masticatory mucosa is the tough, keratinized

mucosa that lines the gingiva and the hard palate.

2. Melanin pigment is synthesized in which cell?

a. Melanocytes
b. Melanosomes
c. Keratinocytes

Answer: a - Melanocytes - The melanocytes are specialized cells, derived from the
neural crest, that manufacture the melanin pigment granules.

3. The mucogingival junction is absent from which of the following surfaces?

a. The mandibular lingual surface

b. The maxillary buccal surface
c. The maxillary palatal surface

Answer: c - The maxillary palatal surface - A distinct mucogingival line is found on all
surfaces of the alveolar ridge, except for the surface facing the hard palate, where the the
masticatory mucosa of the gingiva and hard palate blend without a clear demarcation.

Periohistology Quiz 2 Answers

1. Keratohyalin granules are located in which of the following epithelial layers?

a. Stratum spinosum
b. Stratum granulosum
c. Stratum corneum

Answer: b - Stratum granulosum - As its name suggests, this layer contains

keratohyalin granules as cytoplasmic inclusions. These granules contribute to the
 keratinization process by providing the protein filaggrin that combines with the
tonofilaments to form keratin.

2. Of the various epithelia that make up the gingival epithelium, which one does
not keratinize?

a. Oral epithelium
b. Sulcular epithelium
c. Junctional epithelium

Answer: c - Junctional epithelium - In order for the junctional epithelium to stick to the
tooth surface and form a dento-epithelial junction, it needs to remain non-keratinized.

3. The most permeable section of the gingival epithelium is the

a. Oral epithelium
b. Sulcular epithelium
c. Junctional epithelium

Answer: c - Junctional epithelium - This is the most permeable of the 3 gingival

epithelia because the cells do not keratinize and the relatively low density of intercellular
junctions results in relatively open intercellular spaces.

Periohistology Quiz 3 Answers

1. The most common type of connective tissue fiber in the periodontium is

a. Collagen
b. Elastic
c. Oxytalan

Answer: a - Collagen - Type I collagen is the most abundant connective tissue fiber in
the body, including the periodontal connective tissues.

2. The presence of intracellular collagen fibrils in gingival fibroblasts

providesevidence that these cells

a. synthesize collagen fibrils

b. store collagen fibrils prior to secretion
c. break down collagen
 Answer: c - Break down collagen - Intracellular collagen is evidence that collagen
fibrils, synthesized extracellularly, have been taken into the cell. They are usually located
in digestive vacuoles where they will be digested by lysosomal enzymes.

3. Which of these fibers does not have a cemental insertion?

a. Transseptal fibers
b. Intergingival fibers
c. Transgingival fibers

Answer: b - Intergingival fibers - These fibers run in a mesio-distal direction, either

buccally or lingually to the dental arch.

Periohistology Quiz 4 Answers

1. Which of the following cell types in the developing tooth is unable to undergo
cell division?

a. Ameloblasts
b. Pre-ameloblasts
c. Stratum intermedium cells

Answer: a - Ameloblasts - These highly differentiated cells are unable to undergo cell
division, although the pre-ameloblasts, their less differentiated precursor cells, are able to
do so.

2. The increased length of the clinical crown during tooth eruption into occlusion
is due to

a. Active eruption
b. Passive eruption
c. Active and passive eruption

Answer: c - Active and passive eruption - Although active eruption plays a major role
in the uncovering of the anatomic crown during tooth eruption, some of the uncovering is
also due to passive eruption. After the tooth is in occlusion, passive eruption accounts for
all of the increase in length of the anatomic crown.

3. Periodontal probing is a clinical tool to estimate the depth of the gingival

sulcus or periodontal pocket. In the presence of mild to moderate gingivitis the
probe tends to

a. Accurately measure the depth of the anatomic sulcus

 b. Overestimate the depth of the anatomic sulcus
c. Underestimate the depth of the anatomic sulcus

Answer: b - Overestimate the depth of the anatomic sulcus - In the presence of

inflammation, the periodontal probe tends to penetrate the inflamed tissues adjacent to
the sulcus. Therefore, the resulting measurement is an overestimate of the anatomic
sulcus depth.

Periohistology Quiz 5 Answers

1. The periodontal ligament forms from which portion of the developing tooth
germ?

a. The enamel organ

b. The dental papilla
c. The dental follicle

Answer: c - The dental follicle - The dental follicle contains undifferentiated,

pluripotential ectomesenchymal cells. These cells have the ability to differentiate into
fibroblasts that remodel the follicle into a periodontal ligament. They are also able to
differentiate into cementoblasts and odontoblasts that produce, respectively, the
cementum and alveolar bone that anchor the periodontal fibers.

2. The periodontal ligament fibers are anchored into cementum and bone by
Sharpey's fibers. The diameter of these fibers is greater

a. On the bone side

b. On the cementum side
c. On neither side

Answer: a - On the bone side - The diameter of the Sharpey's fibers on the bone side is
considerably greater than on the cementum side.

3. The width and cellularity of the periodontal ligament are greatest when the
ligament is

a. Out of function
b. In heavy function
c. In light function

Answer: b - In heavy function - While the width and cellularity of the periodontal
ligament increase with light function as compared to no function, the greatest width and
cellularity of the ligament is found around teeth in heavy function.
Periohistology Quiz 6 Answers

1. Cementum is produced as a result of cellular secretion by

a. Cementoblasts
b. Periodontal fibroblasts
c. Cementoblasts and fibroblasts

Answer: c - Cementoblasts and fibroblasts - Periodontal fibroblasts produce the

principal (or extrinsic) fibers of the periodontal ligament. These become imbedded in
cementum as Sharpey's fibers. Cementoblasts collaborate with the periodontal fibroblasts
to form cementum.

2. The coronal two-thirds of the root is covered mostly with what type of
cementum?

a. Acellular, intrinsic fiber cementum

b. Acellular, extrinsic fiber cementum
c. Cellular, mixed fiber cementum

Answer: b - Acellular, extrinsic fiber cementum - This cementum is largely composed

of a cell-free matrix that is mostly made up of densely packed Sharpey's fibers. It
provides excellent anchorage.

3. Cementoblasts originate from which of the following embryonic structure?

a. Enamel organ
b. Dental papilla
c. Dental follicle

Answer: c - Dental follicle - The dental follicle gives rise to cementoblasts and
periodontal fibroblasts, both of which participate in cementogenesis.

Periohistology Quiz 7 Answers

1. The term "alveolar bone proper" refers to

a. The cancellous bone between the alveoli

b. The layer of compact bone lining the alveolus
 c. That part of the jaw bone that houses the teeth

Answer: b - The layer of compact bone lining the alveolus - Although the term
"alveolar bone" is often used to refer to bone of the alveolar process, &qot;alveolar bone
proper" specifically refers to the thin layer of compact bone that lines the alveolus.

2. Bone which is characterized by multiple lamellae and long Sharpey's fibers is

called

a. Bundle bone
b. Haversian bone
c. Woven bone

Answer: a - Bundle bone - This type of bone is typically used for anchorage of tendons
and ligaments.

3. Which histologic features can be found on predominantly resorbing bone

surfaces?

a. Osteoblasts and osteoid layers

b. Osteoclasts in Howship's lacunae
c. All of the above

Answer: c - All of the above - On predominantly bone resorbing surfaces, bone

resorption alternates with resting periods and brief periods of bone formation. Depending
on the phase of the remodeling process, either one or both of the answers may be correct.