THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DEGREE OF DEVELOPMENT OF TOOTH ISOGRAFTS AND THE SUBSEQUENT FORMATION OF BONE AND PERIODONTAL-LIGAMENT

Incompletely formed teeth isografted to the renal subcapsular site in mice demonstrated alveolar bone and periodontal ligament formation when examined by histological methods 60 days after transplantation. Bone and periodontal ligament formation was not observed in relation to isografts of fully formed teeth at the same site and time after transplantation. Surviving remnants of Hertwig''s root sheath and the dental follicle may play a part in the development of the periodontium of isografts partially developed at the time of transplantation although the mechanisms and source of cells involved are not yet clear.