Dental Pulp Aging: Structural And Functional Changes

Dental Pulp Aging: Structural And Functional Changes

Question 1. Age changes in the pulp.
Answer:

• Reduction in number and size of cells of pulp.
• Fibrosis of pulp due to increased content of collagen.
• Change in the morphology of the cell and its organelles appearance of atherosclerotic plaque in pulpal vessels.
• Calcifications occur in surrounding vessels.
• Pulp shows a reduced resistance to infection due to a reduction in cells.
• Reduction in pulpal sensitivity and size of the apical foramen.
• The pulp becomes smaller in size.
• Pulp stones appear in coronal as well as root portions of the pulp.

Question 2. Subodontoblastic plexus of raschkow.
Answer:

• The dentinal pulp is richly innervated
• Nerves enter the pulp through the apical foramen and extend occlusal through the pulp core.
• Each nerve fiber provides at least eight terminal branches.
• These branches ultimately form an extensive plexus of nerves in the cell-free zone in the crown portion of the tooth.
• This plexus of nerves is called the odontoblastic plexus of raschkow.
• It is demonstrated in silver nitrate-stained sections under a light microscope or by immunocytochemical technique.
• Such a plexus is absent in root portions.