Functions of Dental Pulp and Its Structural Zones

Functions of Dental Pulp and Its Structural Zones

Question 1. Functions of pulp
Answer:

1. Inductive

• The pulp interacts with the oral epithelial cells and causes differentiation of dental lamina and results in enamel organ formation.

2. Formative

• This is the primary function of the pulp.
• It produces the dentin that surrounds and protects it.

3. Nutritive

• It nourishes the avascular dentin.

4. Protective

• Pulp carries nerves that give dentin its sensitivity
• Pulp lacks the receptors for heat, touch, pressure, chemicals, and proprioception.
• Any stimulus will elicit a response in the form of pain only.
• It responds to pain because it has free nerve endings.

5. Defensive or reparative

• Pulp is capable of producing new dentin when required.

Question 2. Zones of pulp
Answer:

1. Odontoblastic zone:

• It occurs adjacent to the prevention
• It consists of odontoblasts lining the periphery of the pulp

Odontoblasts:

• They line the periphery of the pulp
• The odontoblastic processes extend into dentinal tubules
• Their number corresponds to the number of the dentinal tubules
• In the crown, they appear columnar, more cuboidal in the mid portion, and flattened in the apical portion Nucleus is situated basally towards the pulp
• Odontoblast has a prominent Golgi apparatus, abundant mitochondria, numerous vesicles, much endoplasmic reticulum

2. Cell-free zone of Weil:

• It is prominent in the coronal pulp
• It is a space in which the odontoblasts may move pulpward during tooth development and then to a certain extent in functioning teeth

3. Cell-rich zone:

• Adjacent to the cell-free zone
• Cell density is high in this zone
• It is composed of fibroblasts and undifferentiated mesenchymal cells

4. Pulp core:

• It is characterized by the major vessels and nerves of the pulp