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es el 09-03-2017
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Revista Odontológica Mexicana Facultad de Odontología

Vol. 21, No. 1 January-March 2017

pp 6-7
e6–e7 EDITORIAL

Dental cingulum (cingulate)

El cíngulo dental
Sandra Moreno,* Freddy Moreno*

Dental cingulate represents a morphological cusps (para-styles in upper and lower molars) which
characteristic scarcely studied in the dental ﾙeld, but are present in vestibular, palatal or lingual surfaces
widely researched in biological and anthropological of upper and lower molars respectively. This is the
contexts. This morphologic structure, unknown or case of the proto-style-Carabelli cusp), para-style and
misunderstood by many dentists, represents the protostylid.5-8
point of origin of different morphological dental traits. Even though in the anthropological context
Traditionally, dental cingulate has been deﾙned as the observation, recording and analysis of dental
portion of enamel forming a convex protuberance in morphology through these morphological dental
the cervical third of the palatal and lingual surfaces traits has become a valuable information source
of anatomic crowns of upper and lower incisor and to assess biological relationships among past
canine teeth. Thus, in the dental context, it has been and present human populations, 9 in the dental
considered as an exclusive morphological structure context, the cingulum (of anterior teeth) has been
of incisor and canine teeth –as class– of human relegated to being described as an anatomical
dentition.1 factor prone to bacterial plaque accumulation and
Nevertheless, within the bio-anthropological context, increase of possibility to develop caries 9-11 or to the
dental cingulate has been defined as an enamel generation of occlusal interferences in the shape of
bridge which connects the base of anterior teeth lobes premature contacts. Both situations are frequently
at the cervical third with the cusps of posterior teeth solved with selective enameloplasty and restorative
in order to protect against possible injuries caused treatment.12,13
by fragments of hard foodstuffs during mammalian Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to contrast
mastication processes.2 This original function, related the bio-anthropological concept of the cingulum
to the gingival protection of primitive mammalians, when facing the controversial lack of knowledge of
was later complemented with the formation of the the evolutionary role of this morphological structure,
triphosphonic molar, which explains that dental reason which highlights the importance of it being
cingulate was formed as a structural reinforcement considered:
(support) to dissipate forces generated from the cusps
during occlusion.3 Therefore, from a macro-structural 1. Dental cingulate corresponds to a morphological
perspective, the dental cingulate represents a convex structure which emerged during the evolution of the
protuberance in the palatal and lingual surface of ﾙrst mammals as a collar surrounding the crown of
upper and lower incisors and canines, as well as a all teeth –anterior and posterior– at the level of the
well-developed platform surrounding the cervical third cervical third. Its main functions were protection of
of upper and lower molars.1,4
www.medigraphic.org.mx
According to the tri-tubercular theory –which
explains evolutionary development of mammal
* DDS, Biomedical Sciences Degree, Professor at the School of
teeth–, posterior teeth count with an enamel collar
Dentistry of the Universidad del Valle (Cali, Colombia), Professor
called cingulum (upper molars) or cingulate (lower at the Universidad Pontiﾙcia Javeriana (Cali, Colombia).
molars) which circumscribes the crown of all teeth
at the height of the gingival third, resembling a stylar © 2016 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, [Facultad de
shelf. During odontogenesis from this stylar shelf Odontología]. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-
ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
different morphological dental traits emerge, such as
cuspal talon and lobes which form the cingulum itself This article can be read in its full version in the following page:
in anterior teeth, as well as tubercles or para-molar http://www.medigraphic.com/facultadodontologiaunam

See related content at doi:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rodmex.2017.02.004
Documento descargado de http://www.elsevier.es el 09-03-2017

Revista Odontológica Mexicana 2017;21 (1): e6-e7

e7

periodontal tissues from possible injury caused by 2. Reynolds SH. The vertebrate skeleton. 2nd edition. Cambridge:
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www.medigraphic.org.mx