Lectures 3 & 4 Dentine & Pulp Flashcards
List physical characteristics of dentine
- translucent, yellowish
- resilient
- slightly harder than bone and softer than enamel
Describe what’s inside the structure of dentine and dentine tubules
- consists of mineral - calcium hydroxyapatite - plus organic material - matrix (ground substance), collagen, & odontoblast processes. (collagen is mostly parallel to pulp surface & crystals follow the direction of collagen).
Describe dentine tubules
Elongated canals within the dentine following a sigmoid course from DEJ to pulp throughout much of the dentine but are fairly straight in the incisive tips & in the root.
What do each tubule contain?
A single odontoblast process, which does not quite fill the tubule diameter - still uncertain whether they extend the full length of the tubule. Also contains small amounts of collagen, glycosaminoglycans and sometimes a nerve.
Dentine tubules are tapered (_______) & are narrower at DEJ
2.5 um to 1um
Dentine and dentine tubules have numerous fine vertical branches especially in middle and outer zones (these may interconnect).
False, fine lateral branches
Dentine tubules do not branch at the DEJ
False, they branch dichotomously (into two equal sized branches) at DEJ.
Odontoblasts are restricted to?
to the outer surface of the pulp & only cytoplasmic processes (odontoblast processes) are within the dentine in dentine tubules.
How are odontoblasts different to bone?
This is different to bone that has bone forming cells both on its surface & within the matrix of bone (in cavities called lacunae).
Bone cells within the bone matrix have single processes rather than just one process, which is the case with odontoblasts.
False, they have multiple processes in bone.
Dentine forms the bulk of the tooth & is composed of?
70% inorganic (hydroxyapatite), 20% organic material (collagen, protein, glycoprotein) & is 10% water.
Describe odontoblasts `
- Dentine forming cells
- Forms a single layer lining the periphery of the pulp
- Taller in the crown than in the root
- Each has a single odontoblast process which enters an adjacent dentinal tubule.
- If damaged can be replaced with new odontoblasts
Describe odontoblast processes
- Occupy dentine tubules although it is still not known whether they extend the full length of the tubule
- Relative few organelles
- An organic matrix is formed first by the odontoblasts which then mineralizes extracellularly.
- Dentine is formed throughout life provided there are viable odontoblasts present in the outer pulp. These form organic matrix so there is always unmineralized or partly mineralized predentine adjacent to the odontoblasts.
Dentinal matrix consists of?
Of about 90% collagen (Type 1) & 10% ground substance. The collagen is in the form of fibrils (i.e. not organized into bundles which are called collagen fibres)
How are dentinal matrix fibrils oriented?
Oriented parallel to the surface of the pulp.
What are the two mechanisms of mineralization?
Matrix vesicles & collagen associated mineralization.
What are matrix vesicles
- Membrane bound structures associated with extracellular mineralization in all immature mineralized tissues (except enamel).
- They bud off from the matrix forming cell (osteoblast, odontoblast, cementoblast) into the extracellular matrix.
During bone formation, matrix vesicles are associated with what during bone formation ?
Endochondral & intramembranous ossification
Matrix vesicles contain?
Phospholipids and enzymes which bind calcium leading to the initial formation of hyrdoxyapatite
Matrix vesicles are only found in immature bone and they play an ongoing role in remodelling.
False, it’s uncertain whether either is true.
There is an alternative mechanism of mineralization that also occurs along collagen fibres as a result of non collagen molecules associated with the fibre. Some of these have the ability to bind calcium.
True
Collagen , like all other hard tissues mineralization of enamel does involve matrix vesicles or collagen.
False, it is unlike the other hard tissues mineralization.
Where are incremental lines best seen?
Best seen in longitudinal ground sections
What are the incremental lines the result of?
the result of rhythmic or incremental laying down of mineral over a single day or longer times
Describe diurnal lines
About 4 um apart, represents one days growth (not readily seen without special staining) (To get an idea of how large 4um is at the magnification you are using, compare with the dentinal tubules which are 2.5 um wide).
How far apart are 5 day incremental lines
20 um
Describe lines of owen
Long term, irregular, resulting from events causing profound disturbances in mineralization
What is mantle dentine?
The dentine which is formed first adjacent to the DEJ or CEJ. Slightly less mineralized than primary dentine
What is primary dentine?
Dentine which makes up the bulk of the tooth & forms during development of the tooth.
What does primary dentine consist of?
Peritubular & intertubular dentine. May be globular
When does globular or interglobular dentine occur?
Mineralization may start along a linear front, or may start as globules (separate blobs of mineral) in the organic matrix which generally fuse together. If complete fusion does not occur then areas of hypomineralization between the globules result, then this globular dentine occurs. Globular dentine is variable and not always present.
How are globular dentine recognized?
They’re recognised as dark areas or in demineralised sections as paler areas within the pink dentine.
What is peritubular (intratubular) dentine
More highly mineralized dentine WITHIN the rim of each dentinal tubule which is a result of deposition of mineral after the tubule has formed. Can approach 1 um thick and may ultimately block at least some tubules completely.
Appearance of peritubular dentine?
Lighter than the surrounding dentine in ground sections (more mineral) but is not retained in demineralised sections as it is so highly mineralized that it is lost during demineralization
What is the granular layer of tomes?
- Feature of root dentine only
- Tiny black granules or “speckles” located just below the hyaline layer and cementodentine junction (CDJ)
- Granules are actually tiny spaces representing looped terminal portions of dentinal tubules (fill with air during grinding)
What is secondary dentine?
Dentine formed throughout life. Secondary dentine is laid down at a slower rate after root formation and eruption.
Where is secondary dentine deposited?
Deposited around the entire periphery of the pulp chamber but more in roof and floor of pulp chamber and less in the root.
Secondary dentine pulp size is reduced as a result of secondary dentine formation.
True
What happens when pulp size is reduced as a result of secondary dentine formation?
This leads to crowding and loss of some odontoblasts and thus the dentinal tubules undergo rearrangement. This can include bending at the junction of primary and secondary dentine.
Reduction in size of pulp chamber means?
Means a lower risk of exposing a pulp horn during dental restoration in older individuals.
Tertiary dentine is laid down __________________.
Laid down locally in response to noxious stimuli, e.g. caries, attrition.