Pulp Question And Answers

Pulp

Define pulp and describe its function.
Answer:

Pulp Definition:

• The dental pulp is defined as a richly vascularized and innervated connective tissue of mesodermal origin enclosed by dentin with communications to the periodontal ligament.
• It is the soft connective tissue that supports the dentin.

Pulp Functions:

1.Pulp Functions  Inductive:

• The pulp interacts with tire oral epithelial cells and causes differentiation of dental lamina and resulting in enamel organ formation.
• The pulp also interacts with the developing enamel organ and determines a particular type of tooth.

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2. Pulp Functions Formative:

• It produces the dentin that surrounds and protects it.
• It produces dentin both under physiological and pathological conditions.
• First of all, odontoblast present in tire pulp develops the organic matrix and helps in its calcification.
• Next, the odontoblastic process develops which is a cellular extension of the odontoblast.
• These processes lay down dentin along the tubule wall as well as at the pulp-dentin interface.

3. Pulp Functions Nutritive:

• It nourishes the avascular dentin.
• Pulp has a rich blood supply with a vascular network around the odontoblasts.
• This vascular system supplies the odontoblast and its process present within the tubule.

4. Pulp Functions Protective:

• Pulp carries nerves that give dentin its sensitivity.
• The nerve initiates reflexes that control the circulation of the pulp.
• Sensory nerves respond with pain to all stimuli.
• Sympathetic nerves provide stimulation to visceral motor fibers.
• These fibers terminate on the muscles of blood vessels.

5. Pulp Functions Defensive or reparative:

• Pulp is capable of producing new dentin when required.
• Pulp responds to irritation created by any external stimuli by producing reparative dentin and mineralizing any affected dentinal tubules.
• Milder injury to the pulp lead to the focal secretion of the reactionary dentin matrix while greater injury lead to odontoblast cell death.
• Reparative dentin is formed to seal off the pulp from the source of irritation.
• The pulp contains inflammatory cells that help in the repair of the pulp.