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Dental Pulp
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Architecture of the Pulp The peripheral aspect of dental pulp, referred to as the odontogenic zone (1), differentiates into a layer of dentin-forming odontoblasts (A). Immediately subjacent to the odontoblast layer is the cell-free zone (of Weil). This region (2) contains numerous bundles of reticular fibers (B). These fibers pass from the central pulp region, across the cell-free zone and between the odontoblasts, their distal ends incorporated into the matrix of the dentin layer. Numerous capillaries (C) and nerves (D) are also found in this zone. Just under the cell-free zone is the cell-rich zone (3) containing numerous fibroblasts (E) - the predominant cell type of pulp. Undifferentiated mesenchymal cells are also present in the pulp and can give rise to odontoblasts, fibroblasts or macrophages. Since odontoblasts themselves are incapable of cell division, any dental procedure that relies on the formation of new dentin (F) after destruction of odontoblasts, depends on the differentiation of new odontoblasts from these multipotential cells of the pulp. Lymphocytes, plasma cells and eosinophils are other cell types also common in dental pulp. Medial to the cell-rich zone is the deep pulp cavity (4), and adjacent to, or within, the cell-rich zone is the subodontoblastic plexus (of Raschkow) of nerves (G). Vascular Supply to the Pulp One or more small arterioles enter the pulp via the apical foramen and once they reach the pulp chamber in the crown they branch out to form a dense capillary network immediately under and extending up into the odontoblast layer. Small venules drain the capillary bed and eventually leave as veins via the apical foramen. Only a few thin-walled, irregularly shaped lymphatic vessels are present in the dental pulp. Of considerable clinical significance is the fact that following injury vascular congestion may occur, and this may lead to necrosis of the pulp. Innervation of the Pulp Several large nerves enter the apical foramen of each molar and premolar with single ones entering the anterior teeth. Autonomic nerve fibers (sympathetic only) -- They innervate the smooth muscle cells of the arterioles and therefore function in regulation of blood flow in the capillary network. Afferent (sensory) fibers -These arise from the maxillary and mandibular branches of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal). They may terminate in the central pulp, but many send out individual fibers that form the subodontoblastic plexus. From this plexus, fibers extend between the odontoblasts and in the coronal dentin (particularly the pulp horns) they travel for short distances into the dentinal tubules. All sensory nerve endings in the pulp function in transmitting nociceptive information, whether induced by heat, cold or pressure. Nerve fibers are more predominant in pulp horns and lateral walls of the coronal pulp, and less extensive in the root.
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The figure illustrates nerve endings (F) arising from the subodontoblastic plexus (E) and passing up between odontoblasts (A) to enter the dentinal tubule where they terminate (G) near an odontoblast process (D). B = predentin, C = dentin Dentin sensitivity is explained by the 'hydrodynamic theory'. Movement of fluid in the dentinal tubules results in the activation of small, myelinated A fibers causing sharp pain. Injury and inflammation later lead to the activation of unmyelinated C fibers (dull ache sensation), which are found in the subodontoblastic layer and the deep pulp. Dental pain is often very hard to localize, and referred pain (either to the teeth or from the teeth) can complicate diagnosis. Age-Related and Pathologic Changes in the Pulp Specific changes occur in dental pulp with age. Cell death results in a decreased number of cells, and the surviving fibroblasts respond by producing more fibrous matrix. However, the most significant change is a reduction in the size of the pulp chamber due to the continued deposition of secondary dentin. Calcified bodies also become more prominent in older teeth: Pulp stones (or denticles) are small calcified bodies that can be found in up to 90% of the pulp of older teeth. These calcified bodies are generally found loose within the pulp, but may eventually grow large enough to encroach on adjacent dentin and become attached. A Pulp stone containing tubular dentin is referred to as a "true pulp stone", whereas irregularly calcified tissue is called a "false pulp stone". Diffuse calcification occurs when an injured pulp undergoes calcification in a number of locations.
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