Dental pulp
Age
Definition Anatomy Development Histology Function
Changes
-Definition:
. The innermost layer of the tooth. Coronal part (part in crown) —>pulp
chamber
. Occupy central cavity of dentine
. Highly vascular. Radicular part (part in the root)—>pulp canal
. The only soft tissue in the tooth.
. No mineralization.
. Delicate.
-Anatomy:
. Pulp chamber.
. Pulp canal —> connect orifices and apical foramen.
. Apical foramen.
. Orifices —> opening connects canal and chabmer.
. Pulp horns.
. Accessory canal.
-Development:
. The dental papilla is the origin of dental pulp.
. Occurs in the 8thweek intrauterine life— > not in all teeth, but in the lower central incisor
. Dental papilla incite inner enamel epithelium which is responsible for the
morphogenesis.
. Dental papilla controls the morphogenesis.
-Histology:
The pulp has 4 zones of pulp :
1. Odontoblasic zone
. In the outer surface of pulp.
. Single layer (pseudostratified appearnce)
2. Cell free zone
. An important place where odontoblasts
move during the process of odontogenesis.
3. Cell rich zone
. Under cell free zone.
. Contains undifferentiated mesenchymal cell & fibroblast.
4. Pulp core
. Contains major blood supply & major nerve
Cells:
1- Progenitor cells = undifferentiated cells
. Location: in the cell rich zone & pulp core (around BV & nerve).
. Shape: spindle (similar to fibroblast but smaller).
. Function: give rise synthetic cells or defensive cells.
2- Defensive cells (5 types)
Dendritic Lymphocyte Plasma cells Mast cells Macrophage
cells cells cells
. Antigen . Present in . Pesent only in . Central . Dark and round
presenting cells normal pulp and the nucleus. in shape.
(look for antigen, increase in inflammation . Granulated . Small, irregular
catch them and number when conditions. cells that nucleus.
give them to T the pulp is . Cartwheel contain . Called
cells which do injured. appearance with histamine & histocyte inside
the rest of peripheral heparin the tissue and
immunological nucleus. (toluidine blue is monocyte inside
reaction) . Make large used to stain blood.
. Present in amounts of cells). . Remove dead
normal pulp. antibodies. cells.
. Stimulates the
action of other
immune cells.
3- Synthetic cell
Odontoblast Fibroblast
. The second greatest number . The greatest group number in
. In odontoblast zone the pulp
. More distinct under light microscope . In the cell rich zone
because it is single&outermost layer in . Dual function: synthesise &
the pulp degradation of collagen fibres.
. 20-40 micrometer
Young age Old age Young age Old age
Shape: high columnar Pyriform like 🍐
Spindle/ stellate Flat
cell
Well developed Less
Organelles: well Less developed developed
developed
Light & -
Cytoplasm: much Less basophilic
homogeneous
basophilic has many
ribosomes and
proteins
Open phase & Closed phase
Nucleus: open phase Closed phase &
central
& basal apical
Length: 25-40 Decrease Large & has Small
micrometer process
. Fibres:
1- Collagen fibers
. The most abundant fibers in the pulp.
. Type 1,2,3.
. In young age —-> the number of collagen fibers is small
& scattered, the pulp size is large.
. In old age —-> the number of collagen fibers increases &
arrange in bundles, the pulp size is small.
2- Elastic fibers
. In the wall of blood vessels to make dilation and
constriction.
. Ground substance:
. Between cells & fibers.
. supports cells.
. Transports median.
. Composed of glucosamineglycan or glycoprotein and
water.
. Nervous supply:
. Nerves enter the pulp through apical foramen, along the
afferent blood vessels and together form neurovascular
bundle.
. Sensory nerves (trigeminal nerve) & motor nerves (around
blood vessels).
. Nerve enters the tooth and gives branches in cell free zone
to form plexus; plexus of rakshow = subodontoblastic plexus=
partial layer of nerves.
——————————————————————————————
. Blood supply:
. Subodontoblastic capillary plexus >> Artery branches, 5% of
this plexus is fenestrated.
. Pericyte>> A type of cell found around blood vessels that is
responsible for contraction.
. The blood flow in the arteries within the pulp cavity is the
highest because it is under pressure.
-Function:
Induction of IEE Nutrition >> blood vessels
Protection >> sensory nerves Formation odontoblast
Defensive>> Immune cells
reparative >>reparative
tertiary dentine
-Age changes:
~We will talk about: young & old pulp / denticles & diffuse pulp
calcification
Young pulp Old pulp
Size Large Small
Number of odontoblast & UMC High Low
Number of fibroblasts Low High
Vascularity High Decrease
Sensitivity High Decrease
-Denticles=pulp stone=pulp calcification
True pulp stone False pulp stone
(Developmental) (Non developmental)
-Mostly located -Mostly located in the coronal part
in the apical part
-How it formed? -How it formed?
Epithelium rest of malasez migrate to Trauma & overdose of Vit D
the apical part and convert UMC into It consists of dead cell or
odontoblast, resulting in the formation hemorrhage or collagen
concentric layer of dentine. fibers that calcification occurred
around them.
Denticles can be:
Free in the pulp, attached to the dentine, and embedded in the dentine.
-Diffuse pulp calcification
- Mostly located in the root canal.
-How it formed?
Overdose Vit D & hyaline degeneration in the root canal.
The End
Written by: Rama Ahmad & Lama Eid
School of Dentistry, University of Jordan.