DENTAL PULP 💗

• Dental pulp


  Soft connective tissue that occupies the central portion of the tooth - pulp space
• Dental pulp


  • It is surrounded by dentin on all sides except at the apical foramen and accessory pulp canals openings, where it is in communication with periodontal soft tissue
• Pulp organs


  • Deciduous Pulp Organs
  • Permanent Pulp Organs
• Deciduous Pulp Organs


  1. Period of growth of pulp organ - from the beginning of root formation to root completion

  2. Period of maturation of pulp - time period after root is completed until root resorption begins

  3. Regression of pulp - starting from the beginning of root resorption until the time of exfoliation of tooth
• Deciduous Pulp Organs function for only 8 years & 3 mos.
• Permanent Pulp Organs development requires longer period of time than that of the deciduous
• Morphology of pulp


  • Pulp chamber
  • Radicular canal/Root canal/ Root canal system
• Pulp horns


  • Extension of pulp chamber under the cusps of teeth (buccal and mesiobuccal cusps)
  • Important in restorative procedures
• Apical foramen


  • Opening of a root canal which may vary in shape, size & location depending on the functional changes that a root may undergo
  • Average size is 0.3 – 0.4 mm
• Extra root canals (Accessory, lateral, secondary canals or apical ramifications)


  • Canals that may develop in any part of the root but generally observed on areas of furcation of the roots (in multirooted tooth) or on apical third
  • May spread infection both ways from the pulp to the periodontal ligament & vice versa
• Development of pulp


  1. Dental papilla – pulp organ

  2. Begins at almost 8th wk of embryonic life

  3. Young dental papilla is highly vascularized and well organized network of vessels at early dentin formation

  4. Cells: Undifferentiatied mesenchymal cells, Stellate shaped fibroblast
• Structural features of pulp


  • Odontoblastic zone/ dentin-forming zone
  • Cell-free zone/zone or basal layer of Weil
  • Cell-rich zone
  • Pulp core/ Pulp proper
• Histological Elements of pulp

  • Cellular Elements: Odontoblasts, Fibroblasts, Defense cells (Histiocytes, Undifferentiated mesenchymal cells, Ameboid wandering cells), Pericytes
  • Intercellular substance: Fibers (Precollagenous, Collagenous), Gelatinous ground substance
  • Blood vessels
  • Nerves
  • Lymphatic vessels
• Functions of pulp


  • Inductive
  • Formative (morphotic)
  • Nutritive
  • Protective/Sensory
  • Reparative/Defensive
• Common Changes in the Pulp in Relation to Senility


  • Formation of secondary dentin & recession of pulpal horns
  • Formation of Pulpstones (Pulp nodules or Denticles)
• Classification of Pulpstones


  • According to histological structure: True denticle, False denticles, Mixed type
  • According to location in relation to dentinal wall: Free denticle, Attached denticle (adherent), Embedded denticle (interstitial)
  • According to form: Nodular, Amorphous, Fibrillar (Diffused)
• Possible causes of Pulpstone

  • Degenerated cells which maybe surrounded by calcium salts
  • Remnants of HERS may stimulate true dentin formation
  • Atrophy of the pulp
  • Fibrosis of the pulp
• Clinical Considerations


  • Form & size of the pulp cavity must be taken into consideration in operative procedures & root canal therapy
  • Pulp tissue in older individuals are less sensitive because of degenerative changes
  • Pulp stones located near the wall of the blood vessel may cause pain
  • Pulp stones may obstruct the root canals & therefore may interfere with the root canal therapy
  • Accessory root canals could bring about infection of the periodontal tissues or periodontal infections may infect the pulp through accessory canals
  • Operative procedures involving production of heat may injure the odontoblast & the pulp
  • Chemicals from the filling materials may tend to injure the pulp also
  • Pulp capping or pulp amputation may be used for exposed pulp especially in young patients