Dynamics of Dental Epithelium During Tooth Eruption

Abstract
The dental epithelium of developing rat molars was labeled with tritiated thymidine administered by gastric intubation. Labeled ameloblasts were lost from all enamel surfaces at approximately the same time by desquamation into the gingival sulcus. The other cells of the dental epithelium proliferated to form the renewing epithelial cuff.