CHAPTER VI: REGRESSIVE & DEGENERATIVE CHANGES IN THE DENTIN AND PULP Flashcards
- Also known as the “Transparent dentin”
- Regressive alteration in tooth substance
- Characterized by calcification of dentinal tubules
- Translucent appearance when examined by transmitted light.
DENTINAL SCLEROSIS
are the one that makes the bulk of the tooth. It crosses or traverses from the pulpal area and the enamel area
Dentinal tubules
- Seen in ground sections of teeth
- Manifested as black zone by transmitted light and white zone by reflected light.
DEAD TRACTS
- Irregular morphologic pattern
- Forms as response to aging or abnormal irritation
- Decrease in size of pulp chamber and root canal
IRREGULAR DENTIN
Also known as “Secondary dentin” and “adventitious dentin”
IRREGULAR DENTIN
- Occurs in elderly persons
- Clinically symptomless
- Respond normally to vitality tests
- Characterized by large vacuolated spaces in pulp
- Reduced number of cellular elements (ameloblasts, odontoblasts, etc)
- Degeneration and disappearance of odontoblasts
RETICULAR ATROPHY OF THE PULP
- Localized masses of calcified tissue resembling dentin because of the tubular structure.
- Common in pulp chamber
True Denticles
- Lying within pulp tissue
- Not attached to dentinal walls
- They are just freely seen inside the
pulpal area.
Free Denticles
- Continuous with dentinal walls.
- Some are seen in the pulpal area
Attached Denticles
- Composed of localized masses of calcified material
- Do NOT exhibit dentinal tubules
- Nodule appears to be made up of concentric layers of lamellae deposited around a central nidus
- May be free to attached
- Referred to as “interstitial denticle” if surrounded with secondary dentin (irregular dentin).
False Denticles
Reshaping of the teeth outside the tooth area
External Resorption
Types of External Resoprtion
- Periapical Inflammation
- Reimplantation of teeth
- Tumor and cysts
- Excessive mechanical or occlusal forces
- Impaction of teeth
- Idiopathic
Resorption comes inside the tooth
Internal Resortion
Internal Resortion otherwise known as
- Chronic Perforating Hyperplasia of the pulp
- Internal Granuloma
- Odontoclastoma
- Pink Tooth of Mummery
Appears like a pink-hued area on the crown which represents hyperplastic, vascular pulp tissue filling the resorbed area and showing through the remaining overlying tooth substance.
Internal Resortion
Deposition of excessive amounts of secondary cementum on root surfaces
Hypercementosis (Cementum Hyperplasia)
Hypercementosis is caused by
- Accelerated elongation of a tooth
- Inflammation about a tooth
- Tooth repair
- Osteitis deformans or Paget’s disease of bone
- Small foci of calcified tissue
- Lie on periodontal ligament of lateral andapical root areas
- normally seen on the cementum area
Cementicles
Cementicles etiology
- Calcification of epithelial rest cells, further enlarges due to deposition of calcium salts in adjacent connective tissues
- Focal calcification of connective tissue between Sharpey’s bundles with no central nidus
- Calcification of thrombosed capillaries in the periodontal ligament
