Dentin

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Parts of a tooth, including dentin

Dentin (BE: dentine) is a calcified tissue of the body, and along with enamel, cementum, and
pulp is one of the four major components of teeth. Usually, it is covered by enamel on the crown
and cementum on the root and surrounds the entire pulp. By weight, seventy percent of dentin
consists of the mineral hydroxylapatite, twenty percent is organic material and ten percent is
water.[1] Yellow in appearance, it greatly affects the color of a tooth due to the translucency of
enamel. Dentin, which is less mineralized and less brittle than enamel, is necessary for the
support of enamel.[2]
Dentin consists of microscopic channels, called dentinal tubules, which radiate outward through
the dentin from the pulp to the exterior cementum or enamel border.[3] These tubules contain fluid
and cellular structures. As a result, dentin has a degree of permeability which can increase the
sensation of pain and the rate of tooth decay.
The formation of dentin, known as dentinogenesis, begins prior to the formation of enamel and is
initiated by the odontoblasts of the pulp. Unlike enamel, dentin continues to form throughout life
and can be initiated in response to stimuli, such as tooth decay or attrition.
There are different types of dentin, differentiated by appearance and stage of development.
Primary dentin forms most of the tooth. Secondary dentin develops after root formation is
complete and forms much more slowly than primary dentin. Tertiary dentin forms as a biological
response to stimuli.

Contents
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1 Structure
2 Types
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2.1 Primary dentin

2.2 Secondary dentin (Regular Secondary Dentin)

2.3 Tertiary dentin (Irregular Secondary Dentin or Reparative Dentin)

3 Evolution

4 References

[edit] Structure
[edit] Types
There are three types of dentin, primary, secondary and tertiary.[4][5] Primary dentin is the
outermost layer of dentin and borders the enamel. Secondary dentin is a layer of dentin produced
after the root of the tooth is completely formed. Tertiary dentin is created in response to a
stimulus, such as a carious attack.

[edit] Primary dentin

Primary dentin, the most prominent dentin in the tooth, lies between the enamel and the pulp
chamber. The outer layer closest to enamel is known as mantle dentin. This layer is unique to the
rest of primary dentin. Mantle dentin is formed by newly differentiated odontoblasts and forms a
layer approximately 150 micrometers wide. Unlike primary dentin, mantle dentin lacks
phosphoryn, has loosely packed collagen fibrils and is less mineralized. Below it lies the
circumpulpal dentin, a more mineralized dentin which makes up most of the dentin layer and is
secreted after the mantle dentin by the odontoblasts.
Newly secreted dentin is unmineralised and is called predentin. It is easily identified in
haematoxylin and eosin stained section since it stains less intensely then dentin. It is usually 1047 micrometer and lines the innermost region of the dentin. It is unmineralized and consists of
collagen, glycoproteins and proteoglycans. It is similar to osteoid in bone and is thickest when
dentinogenesis is occurring.

[edit] Secondary dentin (Regular Secondary Dentin)

Secondary dentin is formed after root formation is complete, normally after the tooth has erupted
and is functional. It grows much more slowly than primary dentin, but maintains its incremental
aspect of growth. It has a similar structure to primary dentin, although its deposition is not

always even around the pulp chamber. It is the growth of this dentin that causes the decrease in
the size of the pulp chamber with age; cavity preparation in young patients therefore carries a
greater risk of exposing the pulp. If this occurs, the pulp can be treated by different therapies
such as direct pulp capping. Pulp capping is most successful if followed by a stainless steel
crown. Attempts are made not to extract a pulpal exposure as to maintain space in the primary
dentition.

[edit] Tertiary dentin (Irregular Secondary Dentin or Reparative Dentin)

Tertiary dentin is dentin formed as a reaction to external insult such as caries. It is of two types,
either reactionary, where dentin is formed from a pre-existing odontoblast or is it reparative,
where newly differented odontoblast-like cells are formed due to the death of the original
odontoblasts, from a pulpal progenitor cell. Tertiary dentin is only formed by an odontoblast
directly affected by stimulus, therefore the architecture and structure depends on the intensity
and duration of the stimulus e.g. if the stimulus is a carious lesion, there would be extensive
destruction of dentin and damage to the pulp, due to the differentiation of bacterial metabolites
and toxins. Thus tertiary dentin is deposited rapidly, with a sparse and irregular tubular pattern
and some cellular inclusions known as osteodentin. However if the stimulus is less active, it
would be laid down less rapidly with a more regular tubular pattern and hardly any cellular
inclusions.
Elephant ivory is solid dentin. The structure of the dentinal tubules contributes both to its
porosity (useful for piano keys) and its elasticity (useful for billiard balls.) Elephant tusks are
formed with a thin cap of enamel, which soon wears away, leaving the dentin exposed. Exposed
dentin in humans causes the symptom of sensitive teeth.
Because dentin is softer than enamel, it wears away more quickly than enamel. Some
mammalian teeth exploit this phenomenon, especially herbivores such as horses, deer or
elephants. In many herbivores, the occlusal (biting) surface of the tooth is composed of
alternating areas of dentin and enamel. Differential wearing causes sharp ridges of enamel to be
formed on the surface of the tooth (typically a molar), and to remain during the working life of
the tooth. Herbivores grind their molars together as they chew (masticate), and the ridges help to
shred tough plant material.
Unlike enamel, dentin may be demineralized and stained for histological study. Dentin rates
approximately 3 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness.
A material similar to dentin forms the hard material that makes up dermal denticles in sharks and
other cartilaginous fish.

[edit] Evolution
Dentine is found in the fossil record as early as the late Cambrian, in fish, where it may have had
a role in electrochemical sensing of the environment as well as assisting in defense.[6]

[edit] References
1. ^ Cate, A.R. Ten. Oral Histology: development, structure, and function. 5th ed. 1998. Page 150.
ISBN 0-8151-2952-1.
2. ^ Johnson, Clarke. "Biology of the Human Dentition." Page accessed July 18, 2007.
3. ^ Ross, Michael H., Gordon I. Kaye, and Wojciech Pawlina, 2003. Histology: a text and atlas.
4th edition. Page 450. ISBN 0-683-30242-6.
4. ^ U. Zilberman, P. Smith. Sex- and Age-related Differences in Primary and Secondary Dentin
Formation Advances in Dental Research, Vol 15, Issue 1, pp.42-45, August, 2001. Retrieved from
iadrjournals.org
5. ^ Donna J. Phinney, Judy Helen Halstead Delmar's Dental Assisting: A Comprehensive
Approach, p.97, Thomson Delmar Learning, ISBN 0766807312
6. ^ Chapter 5; Moya Smith & ... in: Development, Function and Evolution of Teeth By Mark F
Teaford, Moya Meredith Smith Published by Cambridge University Press, 2007 ISBN
0521033721, 9780521033725 324 pages

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