histology Flashcards
composition of enamel
96% inorganic 1% organic 3% water
structure of enamel
enamel prisms(rods)
-(fish shaped)
made up of enamel crystallites
Brown striae of Retzius
Brown lines indicating variations in enamel production / deposition. Brown lines run from ADJ to enamel surface
Neonatal line
Line that marks the disruption in amelogenesis at time of birth.
Hunter-Schreger Bands
Broad dark and light bands (viewed under light microscope) which run from ADJ into enamel (approx two 3rds into enamel)
Enamel spindles
Dentinal tubules extend into enamel
Lamellae
Sheet-like faults that run vertically through entire thickness of enamel.
Enamel tufts
Pieces of incomplete mineralised enamel, extend from ADJ following direction of prisms.
Amelo-dentinal junction
Enamel / dentine interface. Scalloped appearance.
Dentine PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (4)
Pale yellow in colour
Harder than bone and cementum, softer than enamel
Greater compressive / tensile strength than enamel.
Traversed by tubules therefore easily permeable
dentine composition
70% Inorganic material
20% Organic material
10% Water
Dentinal tubules
Tubules run in parallel fashion
Tubules run from pulp to amelo-dentinal junction following a ‘double curved’ course.
Each tubule has an odontoblast process
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES of enamel
Bluish white colour
Appears yellow-white due to underlying dentine
Semi-translucent
Crystalline material ( hydroxyapatite)
Hardest tissue in body
Low tensile strength.
Properties of enamel vary across tooth surface
Reparative dentine (irregular secondary)
Laid down at pulpal interface of dentine in response to external stimuli
Peritubular dentine
Highly mineralised dentine within dentinal tubule (furred pipe!)
Sclerotic dentine (translucent dentine)
Peritubular dentine increases with age and sometimes tubules can become entirely obliterated
Interglobular dentine
Remaining areas of unmineralised dentine
Incremental lines (Contour lines of Owen)
Lines in dentine seen when there has been a disruption in dentinogenesis.
Granular layer of Tomes
Granular dentine found in root dentine directly under cementum (thin layer).
Dead Tract
Empty dentinal tubule due to necrosis of the tubule once the odontoblast process is destroyed (brought on by severe stimuli).
changes to dentine
With age-more dentine forms (secondary dentine)
This reduces size of pulp chamber
Diameter of tubules reduces.
Tubules may become obliterated- dentine becomes more translucent (sclerotic dentine)
dental pulp
Surrounded by dentine.
Contained in a rigid
compartment.
Soft vascular tissue.
FUNCTIONS (5)
dental pulp
Provides nutrients to odontoblasts.
Sensory organ.
Responds to stimuli (caries/attrition) inducing the deposition of reparative or reactionary dentine.
Mobilises defence cells when invaded by bacteria.
Thought to play a role in tooth eruption.
dental pulp
SHAPE AND FORM (6)
Follows the shape of the outer surface of tooth. Pulp horns under cusps. Pulp chamber in crown. Root canals into root. Number of root canals varies. Foramen or foramina at root apex.