DENTIN

Presented by :
Dr. Kush Pathak
 INTRODUCTION

• Dentin is hard, elastic, yellowish-white avascular tissue enclosing the central

pulp chamber.

• Provides the bulk and general form of tooth.

• Determines the shape of the crown.

• Physically & chemically the dentin closely resembles the bone.

• The main morphologic difference between bone & dentin is that some of
the osteoblasts that form bone, are left enclosed within its matrix substance
as osteocytes, whereas the dentin contains only the processes of the cells
that form it.

• Both are considered vital tissue because they contain living protoplasm.

• The bodies of odontoblasts are aligned along the inner aspect of the dentine
against a layer of predentin where they also form the peripheral boundary
of the dental pulp.
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PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

• It is light yellowish in color, becoming darker with age.

• It is elastic and subject to slight deformation.

• Harder than bone but softer than enamel.

• Lower content of mineral salts in dentin renders it more

radiolucent than enamel.
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 CHEMICAL PROPERTIES

• Consists of 35% organic matter and water & 65% inorganic

material.

• The organic substance consists of collagenous fibrils and a ground

substance of mucopolysaccharides (proteoglycans and glycos
aminoglycans).

• The inorganic component consists of hydroxyapatite crystals as in

bone, cementum & enamel.

• Organic constituents can be removed from the mineral

8 by
incineration or organic chelation.
 STRUCTURE

• The bodies of the odontoblasts are arranged in a layer on

the pulpal surface of the dentin, and only their cytoplasmic
processes are included in the tubules in the mineralized matrix.

• Tubules are found throughout normal dentin & are therefore

characteristic of it.

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 DENTINAL TUBULES

• The course follows a gentle curve in the crown, less so in the root,
where it resembles S in shape.

• Starting at right angles from the pulpal surface, the first convexity
of this doubly curved course is directed toward the apex of the
tooth.

• These tubules end perpendicular to the dentinoenamel and

dentinocementum junctions.

• Near the root tip & along the incisal edges and cusps the tubules
are almost straight. 10
‘S’ CURVATURE OF DENTINAL TUBULES

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• The ratio between the numbers of tubules per unit area on the
pulpal and outer surfaces of dentin is about 4:1.

• There are more tubules per unit area in the crown than in the root.

• The dentinal tubules have lateral branches throughout dentin,

which are termed canaliculi or microtubules.

• A few dentinal tubules extend through the dentinoenamel junction

into the enamel. These are termed enamel spindles.

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 3. Histological Features of Dentin

Depending on its time of development Dentin is classified as:

Dr.Syed Sadatullah
Primary dentin

Secondary dentin

Tertiary dentin
Primary dentin
Primary dentin is the developmental dentin that is formed before and
during eruption

Secondary dentin
Secondary dentine develops after the root formation has been
completed
Deposition of secondary dentin is continuous but much slower
It has a tubular structure which is almost continuous with the
primary dentin
Dr.Syed Sadatullah
Types of Dentin
Tertiary dentin
Tertiary dentin is produced in reaction to stimulus, such as attrition ,
caries or restorative dental procedure

Tertiary dentin can be reactionary or reparative

Reactionary dentin is that type of tertiary dentin that is

deposited by the pre-existing odontoblasts

Reparative dentin is deposited by newly differentiated

odontoblasts
Secondary and Tertiary Dentin
Types of Dentin

•Predentin
•Mantle Dentin
•Circumpulpal Dentin
•Inter-globular Dentin
•Sclerotic Dentin
•Intra-tubular Dentin
•Inter-tubular Dentin
•Tomes Granular layer
 Dr.Syed Sadatullah
Odontoblast process in
dentin tubule
Predentin
Predentin is the first deposited layer of un-mineralized matrix of
dentin

Mantle Dentin

Dr.Syed Sadatullah
The outer layer of dentine that mineralizes first is called mantle
dentin. It lies near the DEJ

Circumpulpal Dentin
The bulk of dentin underlying the mantle dentin is called
circumpulpal
 Dr.Syed Sadatullah
Mantle Dentin – Inter-globular Dentin – Circumpulpal Dentin
Inter-globular Dentin
Dentine separating the mantle dentin and circumpulpal dentin is
hypo-mineralized and is called inter-globular dentin

Dr.Syed Sadatullah
Interglobular Dentin
 PERITUBULAR DENTIN

• The dentin that immediately surrounds the dentinal tubules.

• It is more mineralized than intertubular dentin.

• It is twice as thick in outer dentin (approx. 0.75um) than in

inner dentin (0.4um).

• By its growth, it constricts the dentinal tubules to a diameter of

1µm near the dentinoenamel junction.

• The calcified tubule wall has an inner organic lining termed the
lamina limitans, high in glucosaminoglycans (GAG).
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 Dr.Syed Sadatullah
Intra-tubular Dentin
 INTERTUBULAR DENTIN

• Forms the main body of dentin.

• It is located between the dentinal tubules or, more specifically,

between the zones of peritubular dentin.

• Its organic matrix is retained after decalcification.

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The dentinal matrix that lies between the tubules of dentin is inter-
tubular dentin

Inter-tubular Dentin
Tomes granular layer
In the roots near the cemento-dentinal junction there are hypo-
mineralized areas of dentin around the dentinal tubule called the
Tomes granular layer

Dr.Syed Sadatullah
 Incremental growth line
The organic matrix of dentine is deposited incrementally at a daily
rate of 4µm

At the boundary of each daily increment, minute changes in collagen

fibre orientation is observed which manifest as incremental lines

Incremental lines run perpendicular to the dentinal tubules

Incremental lines
Incremental lines
Incremental lines of von Ebner
In ground section the 5-day increment can be seen as incremental or
imbrications' lines of von Ebner

Counter lines Owen

Counter lines of Owen represent normal physiological alterations in
the pattern of mineralization

Neonatal line represents an exaggerated counter line of Owen.

Neonatal lines are seen in all primary teeth and the first permanent
molars
 Dr.Syed Sadatullah
Lines of Owen

Neonatal Line in Enamel and Dentin

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 PREDENTIN

 Is located adjacent to the pulp tissue.

 Is 2 to 6 um wide, depending on the activity of the odontoblast.

 It is the first formed dentin and is not mineralized.

 As the collagen fibers undergo mineralization at the predentin-

dentin front, the predentin then becomes dentin and a new layer of
predentin forms circumpulpally.
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 ODONTOBLAST PROCESS

• They are the cytoplasmic extensions of the odontoblasts.

• The odontoblasts reside in the peripheral pulp at the pulp- predentin

border and their processes extend into the dentinal tubules.

• The processes are largest in diameter near the pulp and taper further
into dentin.

• The odontoblast cell bodies are approximately 7um in diameter

and 40um in length.
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RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN
ODONTOBLASTI
C PROCESS AND
DENTINAL
TUBULE

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 INCREMENTAL LINES

 The incremental lines (von ebner), or imbrication lines,

appear as fine lines or striations in dentin.

 They run at right angles to the dentinal tubules.

 These lines reflect the daily rhythmic, recurrent deposition

of dentin matrix as well as hesitation in the daily formative
process.

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 The course of the lines indicates the growth pattern of the
dentin.

 Some of the incremental lines are accentuated because of

disturbances in the matrix and mineralization process.
Such lines are known as contour lines of owen.
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• These lines represent hypocalcified bands.

• In the deciduous teeth and in the first permanent molars, the

prenatal and postnatal dentin is separated by an accentuated
contour line. This is termed the neonatal line.

• This line reflects the abrupt change in environment that

occurs at birth.

• The dentin matrix formed prior to birth is usually of better

quality than that formed after birth.
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 INTERGLOBULAR DENTIN

• Sometimes mineralization of dentin begins in small globular areas

that fail to fuse into a homogenous mass. This results in zones of
hypomineralization between the globules. These zones are called
interglobular dentin.

• Forms in crowns of teeth in the circumpulpal dentin just below the

mantle dentin.

• Follows an incremental pattern.

• The dentinal tubules pass uninterruptedly, thus demonstrating a

defect of mineralization & not of matrix formation. 55
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 GRANULAR LAYER

 There is a zone adjacent to the cementum that appears granular.

This is known as Tomes’ granular layer.

 Slightly increases in amount from the cementoenamel junction to the

root apex.

 Caused by coalescing and looping of the terminal portions of the

dentinal tubules.

 The odontoblast initially interacts with ameloblasts or root sheath

cells through the basal lamina. 59
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THEORIES OF PAIN TRANSMISSION THROUGH DENTIN

• Direct conduction theory in which stimuli directly effect the nerve

endings in the tubules.

• Transduction theory in which the membrane of the odontoblast

process conducts an impulse to the nerve endings in the predentin,
odontoblast zone, and pulp.

• Fluid or hydrodynamic theory in which stimuli cause an inward or

outward movement of fluid in the tubule, which in turn produces
movement of the odontoblast and its processes. 62
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DENTIN

The main changes in dentin associated with aging are

• Increase in sclerotic dentin.

• Increase in the number of dead tracts.
• Increase in formation of reparative
and reactive dentin.
• Vitality of dentin
 Dead tract
DEAD TRACTS

• In normal dentin the odontoblastic

processes may disintegrate and the empty
tubules get filled with air. These are called
dead tracts.

• They appear black in transmitted light and

white in reflected light.

• In narrow pulpal horns degeneration of

odontoblast seen due to crowding of
odontoblasts.

• thought to be the initial step in the

formation of sclerotic dentin.
SCLEROTIC DENTIN\
TRANSPARENT DENTIN
• Refers to the dentinal tubules that have become
occluded with calcified materials.
• It may be result of the aging process and called
physiologic dentinal sclerosis or may occur due to
some irritation like caries, attrition, abrasion and
called reactive dentin sclerosis
• When this occurs in several tubules in the same area ,
the dentin assumes a glassy appearance and become
transparent
 Sclerotic dentin

• Most common in
apical 3rd of the root.

• It appears
transparent or light in
transmitted light and
dark in reflected light.
REPARATIVE –REACTIVE DENTIN

• If the provoking stimulus cause destruction

of the original odontoblasts, the new, less
tubular dentin formed by newly
differentiated odontoblast like cells is called
Reparative dentin.
• However if the odontoblast survive the
provoking stimuli the dentin produced by
them is called Reactionary dentin
 Reactive dentin

Reparative dentin
VITALITY OF DENTIN

• Since the odontoblasts do not degenerate

normally, dentin is laid down throughout life.

• Although after the teeth have erupted and

become functional dentinogenesis slows and
further dentin formation is at much slower rate
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AN ACCENTUATED CALCIO-TRAUMATIC BAND UNDER THE
CAVITY REPRESENTS AN ACUTE ARREST IN
ODONTOBLASTIC ACTIVITY AS A RESULT OF THE
OPERATIVE PROCEDURE

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CLASSIFICATION OF DENTIN ON THE
BASIS OF LOCATION, PATTERN OF
MINERALIZATION AND DEVELOPMENTAL
PATTERN.

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 DEAD TRACTS

• The odontoblast processes disintegrate, & the empty tubules are

filled with air.

• Appear black in transmitted light & white in reflected light.

• Often observed in the area of narrow pulpal horns because of

crowding of odontoblasts.

• Demonstrate decreased sensitivity.

• Appear to a greater extent in older teeth.

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• Probably the initial step in the formation of sclerotic dentin.
 SCLEROTIC OR TRANSPARENT DENTIN

• Collagen fibers and apatite crystals begin appearing in the dentinal

tubules.

• Apatite crystals are initially only sporadic in a dentinal tubule but

gradually fill it with a fine meshwork of crystals.

• Gradually, the tubule lumen is obliterated with mineral, which

appears very much like the peritubular dentin.

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• The refractive indices of dentin in which the tubules are
occluded are equalized, and such areas become
transparent.

• Found specially in roots.

• Transparent or light in transmitted and dark in

reflected light.
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CLINICAL CONSIDERATIONS
• The rapid penetration & spread of caries in the dentin is the result
of the tubule system in the dentin.

• The dentinal tubules form a passage for invading bacteria that may
thus reach the pulp through a thick dentinal layer.

• Air driven cutting instruments cause dislodgement of the

odontoblasts from the periphery of the pulp & their aspiration within
the dentinal tubule.

• Sensitivity of dentin.

• Effect of the smear layer.

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 AFFECTED & INFECTED DENTIN

• Infected dentine is the outer layer and is softened and contaminated

with bacteria. It is irreversibly denatured and not remineralized

• Affected dentine has a demineralized phase, but not yet invaded by

bacteria. It can be remineralized.

• In clinical restorative treatment of dentine during cavity preparation

it is infected dentine which is completely removed. The affected
dentine, which may be remineralized after the completion of
restorative treatment, is not removed and is preserved.

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 Caries-affected dentin interfaces showed a much thicker hybrid
layer than was seen with non-carious dentin.

 Presumably, the thicker hybrid layer in caries-affected dentin may be

due to the fact that caries-affected dentin is partially demineralized
and more porous than non-carious dentin.

 Allow deeper penetration of the acid etchant, leading to a deeper

demineralization with diffused monomer.

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DENTINOGENESIS

Dentinogenesis takes place in two phases

• 1- Collagen matrix formation
• 2- Deposition of hydroxyapatite (mineralization)

• 1- Matrix formation:
• The matrix begins at the cusp tips after odontoblasts are differentiated
& change from an ovoid to a columnar shape & increased in length to
approximately 40 μm.
• Initially daily increments of approximately 4μm of dentin
are formed.

• This continues until the crown is formed & the teeth erupt
& move into occlusion (primary dentin).

• After this time dentin production slows to about 1 μm/day

(secondary dentin).
• After root development is complete, dentin formation
may decrease further.

• As each increment of predentin is formed along the

pulp border, it remains a day before it is calcified & the
next increment of predentin forms.

• The initial dentin deposition along the cusp tips

defined as Korff’s fibers.
• However, odontoblasts cells gradually moves pulp
ward, & leave a process known as the odontoblast
process.

• The dentinal matrix is first a meshwork of collagen

fibres & it’s called predentin, but within 24 hrs it
becomes calcified & called dentin.
• As the odontoblastic process elongates, a tubule is
maintained in the dentin & the matrix is formed
around the tubule & the odontoblasts maintain
their elongating processes in dentinal tubules.
Mineralization –

• The earliest crystal deposition is in the form of very fine plates

of hydroxyapatite on the surfaces of the collagen fibrils & in the
ground substance.

•Then, crystals are laid down within the fibrils themselves &
arranged parallel with the long axes of the fibrils.

•The general calcification process is gradual, but the peritubular

region becomes highly mineralized at a very early stage.
• The crystals grow, spread, & coalesce until the matrix
is completely calcified. Only the newly formed band of
dentinal matrix along the pulpal border remain
uncalcified.

• As each daily increment of predentin forms along the

pulpal boundary, the adjacent peripheral increment of
predentin formed the previous day calcified and
becomes dentin.
Sclerotic dentin:
•Stimuli may not only induce additional formation of reparative
dentin, but also lead to protective response in the dentin.

•In case of caries, attrition, abrasion, erosion, or cavity

preparation sufficient stimuli are generated to cause production
of collagen fibres & apatite crystals appearing in the dentinal
tubules.
• In such cases blocking of the tubules may be
considered as a defence reaction of the dentin.
• Gradually, the tubule lumen is obliterated with
mineral, which appears very much like the
peritubular dentin.
• Sclerotic dentin can be observed in the teeth of
elderly people, specially in the roots, and may also be
found under slowly progressing caries.