Pulp

Question 1

What type of tissue is pulp

Answer 1

(Vascularised) soft connective tissue

Question 2

How does the pulp provide vitality (life) to the tooth

Answer 2

Its vast vascular and nerve supply

Question 3

What does the coronal pulp refer to?

Answer 3

Pulp within the pulp chamber

Question 4

What does the radicalular pulp refer to?

Answer 4

Th pulp within the root canal

Question 5

What is used by the pulp in order to communicate with the PDL?

Answer 5

Layer all and accessory channels

Question 6

What’s the apical foreman?

Answer 6

Opening of the root pulp to the PDL (most apical point of the tooth, opened with a small hole)

Question 7

Describe the composition of the pulp. Starting from the most superficial layer (4)

Answer 7

1. Outer layer = odontoblasts (only 1 layer, just different nuclei positioning)
2. Cell free zone = cell processes, nerve axons
3. Cell rich zone = high cell density, axons
4. Pulp core = blood vessels

Question 8

What’s the MAIN cell type in the pulp and its function?

Answer 8

Fibroblasts:
-extracellular matrix composition (collagen)
-integrity, repair, maintenance of tissue

Question 9

What are the cell types in the pulp and their function? (including stem cells) (excluding the main pulpal cell)

Answer 9

ODONTOBLASTS -> deposits dentine
MACROPHAGES -> most abundant defence cell in pulp + eliminates dead cells
DENTRIC CELLS -> most abundant immune cell (in pulp core)
T LYMPHOCYTES -> increase when injury
DENTAL PULP STEM CELLS -> in pulp core, can differentiate into other cells (eg. Odontoblast-like-cells)

Question 10

What’s the pulps main function?

Answer 10

Producing, maintaining and repairing dentine.

Question 11

What’s the role of odontoblasts in the pulp?

Answer 11

• dentine formation (peripheral cells of pulp)

Question 12

Describe the blood and nerve supply of the pulp + type of blood vessels present.

Answer 12

• in pulp core
• enter via apical foreman
• arterioles and venules

Question 13

The pulp has a protective sensory function. True or false?

Answer 13

True=mandates use of anaesthesia

Question 14

What are some age changes that can occur in the pulp? (3)

Answer 14

• reduction in size of pulp due to dentine deposition
• degeneration of nerve axons
• probability of pulp stones

Question 15

What makes up the extracellular matrix of the pulp?

Answer 15

Fibrillation matrix = Collage type 1
Non-fibrillar matrix = GAGs, proteoglycans, glycoproteins

Question 16

What are pulp stones made of/similar in composition to?

Answer 16

-pulpal calcifications
- similar to dentine