THE EFFECT OF REMOVING THE TRUE DENTAL FOLLICLE ON PREMOLAR ERUPTION IN THE DOG

Eruption is a highly localized process during which the bone resorptio n and formation that occur on opposite sides of the tooth are dependen t upon the surrounding soft tissues, the true dental follicle external ly and the enamel organ internally. To examine the ability of the enam el organ to cause eruption the external layer (dental follicle) was re moved just prior to and up to 4 weeks before eruption in 13 mandibular premolars in dogs and eruption followed clinically, radiographically and histologically. None of the teeth without dental follicles erupted but three teeth from which the follicle was separated then replaced d id erupt. These data indicate that the enamel organ without the dental follicle cannot support tooth eruption and provide indirect evidence for the central role of the dental follicle, alone or in combination w ith the enamel organ, in eruption.