Tooth Calcification in Low-Weight Human Fetuses

Leorik Pereira da Silva; George João Ferreira do Nascimento; Déborah Pitta Paraíso Iglesias; Márcia Maria Fonseca da Silveira & Ana Paula Veras Sobral

Summary

Tooth calcification begins during the intrauterine life and is related to the nutritional status of fetus. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the dental calcification status of 15 low-weight human fetuses aged from the 14th to 28th weeks of intrauterine life through radiographic analyses and von Kossa histochemical technique, which is specific to the detection of calcium and other mineral salts in tissues. After dissection of jaws, the mandibles were submitted to lateral and occlusal radiographies. Three mm thick slide sections of jaws samples were stained by conventional and von Kossa methods. As results, radiographic analysis did not exhibit any suggestive image of tooth mineralization, although rudiments of mandibular ossification could be noted. Hematoxilin and eosin sections revealed tooth germs in advanced phases of odontogenesis, but relative delay in tooth development was observed. The von Kossa staining did not show any positivity to the deposition of mineral salts in tooth germs from maxilla and mandible, supporting our findings related to the delay of dental development that was found in studied sample. Hence, we suggest that there is relation between the fetal low-weight and the calcification and maturation status of teeth.

KEY WORDS: odontogenesis, calcification, nutritional imbalances, low-weight, von Kossa.

How to cite this article

DA SILVA, L. P.; DO NASCIMENTO, G. J. F.; IGLESIAS, D. P. P.; DA SILVEIRA, M. M. F. & SOBRAL, A. P. V. Tooth calcification in low-weight human fetuses. Int. J. Odontostomat., 8(2):229-234, 2014.