PULP

Coronal

Occupies and resembles the crown,

Contains the pulp horns

It decreases in size with age

Radicular

Occupies roots

Contains the apical foramen

It decreases in size with age

Accessory apical canals

PULP FUNCTIONS

Inductive: The pulp anlage initiates tooth formation and probably induces the dental organ to become a particular type of tooth.

Formative: Pulp odontoblasts develop the organic matrix and function in its calcification.

Nutritive: Nourishment of dentin through the odontoblasts.

Protective: Sensory nerves in the tooth respond almost always with PAIN to all stimuli (heat, cold, pressure, operative procedures, chamical agents).

Defensive or reparative: It responds to irritation by producing reparative dentin. The response to stimuli is inflammation.

 Histologically the pulp consists of delicate collagen fibers, blood vessels, lymphatics, nerves and cells. A histologic section of the pulp reveals four cellular zones:

Odontoblastic

Cell-free (Weil)

Cell-rich

Pulp core

Dentin

Composition: 70% inorganic, 20% organic, 10% water by weight and 45%, 33%, and 22% in volume respectively
Hydroxyapatite crystals and collagen type I
Physical characteristics: Harder than bone and softer than enamel
Yellow in color in normal teeth
Radiographic appearance: More radiolucent than enamel

Primary (circumpulpal) dentin: forms most of the tooth
Mantle dentin: first dentin to form; forms the outline of dentin in the adult tooth
Predentin: lines the innermost portion of dentin (faces the pulp)
Secondary dentin: after root formation dentin continues to form, continuous to primary dentin but with structural irregularities
Tertiary dentin: reactive or reparative dentin; may or may not have characteristics of primary dentin; produced in the area of an external stimulus; osteodentin

Dentin is formed by cells called odontoblasts.
These cells derive from the ectomesenchyme and produce the organic matrix that will calcify and become the dentin.
Formation of dentin initiates formation of enamel.
The formation of dentin starts during late bell-stage in the area of the future cusp.

First coronal dentin and then root dentin.

Completion of dentin does not occur until about 18 months after eruption of primary and 2-3 years after eruption of permanent teeth.

The rate of dentin development varies.

The role of the internal (inner) dental (enamel) epithelium
Cuboidal - Columnar (reverse polarization)
Ectomesenchymal cells of the dental papilla become preodontoblasts - odontoblasts
Acellular zone disappears

Histologic features of dentin
Odontoblasts
Dentinal tubules
Extend through the entire thickness of dentin
S-shaped (primary curvatures) path in the crown, less S-shaped in the root, almost straight in the cervical aspect
Secondary curvatures
Tubular microbranches
Presence of fluid
 

Intratubular dentin
Dentin in the tubule that is hypermineralized

The term peritubular dentin should not be used
 

Sclerotic dentin
Dentinal tubules that are occluded with calcified material
Most likely a physiologic response
Reduction of permeability of dentin
 

Intertubular dentin
Dentin between the tubules
 

Interglobular dentin
Areas of unmineralized or hypomineralized dentin
The defect affects mineralization and not the architecture of dentin
 

Incremental lines
Lines of von Ebner: lines associated with 5-day rythmic pattern of dentin deposition
Contour lines of Owen: Originally described by Owen they result from a coincidence of the secondary curvatures between neighboring dentinal tubules.
 

Granular Layer of Tomes
Seen only in ground sections in the root area covered by cementum
Originally, they were thought to be areas of hypomineralization
They are true spaces obtained by sections going through the looped terminal portions dentinal tubules

DE junction :Scalloped area

Enamel tissue with incremental lines of Retzius and dentin tissue with parallel, curved dentinal tubules are in contact at the irregular dentino-enamel junction. The junction often has a scalloped-shaped morphology

DC junction Dentin Cemental Junction

SURFACES OF THE TEETH

Facial, Mesial, Distal, Lingual, and Incisal Surfaces

• The facial is the surface of a tooth that "faces" toward the lips or cheeks. When there is a requirement to be more specific, terms like labial and buccal are used. The labial is the surface of an anterior tooth that faces toward the lips. The buccal is the surface of a posterior tooth that faces toward the cheek.
• The mesial is the proximal surface closest to the midline of the arch. The distal is the opposite of mesial. The distal is the proximal surface oriented away from the midline of the arch.
• The lingual is the surface of an anterior or posterior tooth that faces toward the tongue. Incisal edges are narrow cutting edges found only in the anterior teeth (incisors). Incisors have one incisal edge
• Proximal Surfaces

A tooth has two proximal surfaces, one that is oriented toward the midline of the dental arch (mesial) and another that is oriented away from the midline of the arch (distal).

Crown stage

Hard tissues, including enamel and dentin, develop during the next stage of tooth development. This stage is called the crown, or maturation, stage by some researchers. Important cellular changes occur at this time. In prior stages, all of the inner enamel epithelium cells were dividing to increase the overall size of the tooth bud, but rapid dividing, called mitosis, stops during the crown stage at the location where the cusps of the teeth form. The first mineralized hard tissues form at this location. At the same time, the inner enamel epithelial cells change in shape from cuboidal to columnar. The nuclei of these cells move closer to the stratum intermedium and away from the dental papilla.

The adjacent layer of cells in the dental papilla suddenly increases in size and differentiates into odontoblasts, which are the cells that form dentin. Researchers believe that the odontoblasts would not form if it were not for the changes occurring in the inner enamel epithelium. As the changes to the inner enamel epithelium and the formation of odontoblasts continue from the tips of the cusps, the odontoblasts secrete a substance, an organic matrix, into their immediate surrounding. The organic matrix contains the material needed for dentin formation. As odontoblasts deposit organic matrix, they migrate toward the center of the dental papilla. Thus, unlike enamel, dentin starts forming in the surface closest to the outside of the tooth and proceeds inward. Cytoplasmic extensions are left behind as the odontoblasts move inward. The unique, tubular microscopic appearance of dentin is a result of the formation of dentin around these extensions.

After dentin formation begins, the cells of the inner enamel epithelium secrete an organic matrix against the dentin. This matrix immediately mineralizes and becomes the tooth's enamel. Outside the dentin are ameloblasts, which are cells that continue the process of enamel formation; therefore, enamel formation moves outwards, adding new material to the outer surface of the developing tooth.

Cementum

Composition

a. Inorganic (50%)—calcium hydroxyapatite crystals.

b. Organic (50%)—water, proteins, and type I collagen.

c. Note: Compared to the other dental tissues, the composition of cementum is most similar to bone; however, unlike bone, cementum is avascular (i.e., no Haversian systems or other vessels are present).

Main function of cementum is to attach PDL fibers to the root surface.

Cementum is generally thickest at the root apex and in interradicular areas of multirooted 

Types of cementum

a. Acellular (primary) cementum

(1) A thin layer of cementum that surrounds the root, adjacent to the dentin.

(2) May be covered by a layer of cellular cementum, which most often occurs in the middle and apical root.

(3) It does not contain any cells.

b. Cellular (secondary) cementum

(1) A thicker, less-mineralized layer of cementum that is most prevalent along the apical root and in interradicular (furcal) areas of multirooted teeth.

(2) Contains cementocytes.

(3) Lacunae and canaliculi:

(a) Cementocytes (cementoblasts that become trapped in the extracellular matrix during cementogenesis) are observed in their entrapped spaces, known as lacunae.

(b) The processes of cementocytes extend through narrow channels called canaliculi.

(4) Microscopically, the best way to differentiate between acellular and cellular cementum is the presence of lacunae in cellular cementum.

The Transition from the Deciduous to the Permanent Dentition.

1. The transition begins with the eruption of the four first permanent molars, and replacement of the lower deciduous central incisors by the permanent lower central incisors.

2. Complete resorption of the deciduous tooth roots permits exfoliation of that tooth and replacement by the permanent (successional) teeth

3. The mixed dentition exists from approximately age 6 years to approximately age 12 years. In contrast, the intact deciduous dentition is functional from age 2 - 2 /2 years of age to 6 years of age.

4. The enamel organ of each permanent anterior tooth is connected to the oral epithelium via a fibrous cord, the gubernaculum. The foramina through which it passes can be seen in youthful skulls

The deciduous second molars are particularly important. It is imperative that the deciduous second molars be preserved until their normal time of exfoliation. This prevent mesial migration of the first permanent molars.

Use a space maintainer in the event that a second deciduous molar is lost prematurely