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Tooth Anatomy - Dental tooth design & layers

Tooth Anatomy - Dental tooth design & layers

Tooth Anatomy - Dental tooth design & layers

Enamel :
Tooth Enamel is the hardest and most highly mineralized substance of the body. It has its origin from oral ectoderm. It is one of the four major tissues which make up the tooth, along with dentin, cementum, and dental pulp. It is normally visible and must be supported by underlying dentin. 96% of enamel consists of mineral, with water and organic material comprising the rest. The normal color of enamel varies from light yellow to grayish white. At the edges of teeth where there is no dentin underlying the enamel, the color sometimes has a slightly blue tone. Since enamel is semitranslucent, the color of dentin and any restorative dental material underneath the enamel strongly affects the appearance of a tooth. Enamel varies in thickness over the surface of the tooth and is often thickest at the cusp, up to 2.5mm, and thinnest at its border, which is seen clinically as the CEJ. The wear rate of enamel, called attrition, is 8 micrometers a year from normal factors.
Enamel's primary mineral is hydroxyapatite, which is a crystalline calcium phosphate. The large amount of minerals in enamel accounts not only for its strength but also for its brittleness. Dentin, which is less mineralized and less brittle, compensates for enamel and is necessary as a support. Unlike dentin and bone, enamel does not contain collagen. Proteins of note in the development of enamel are ameloblastins, amelogenins, enamelins and tuftelins. It is believed that they aid in the development of enamel by serving as framework support, among other functions. In rare circumstances enamel can fail to form, leaving the underlying dentine exposed on the surface.

Dentin :
Dentin is the substance between enamel or cementum and the pulp chamber. It is secreted by the odontoblasts of the dental pulp. The formation of dentin is known as dentinogenesis. The porous, yellow-hued material is made up of 70% inorganic materials, 20% organic materials, and 10% water by weight. Because it is softer than enamel, it decays more rapidly and is subject to severe cavities if not properly treated, but dentin still acts as a protective layer and supports the crown of the tooth.
Dentin is a mineralized connective tissue with an organic matrix of collagenous proteins. Dentin has microscopic channels, called dentinal tubules, which radiate outward through the dentin from the pulp cavity to the exterior cementum or enamel border. The diameter of these tubules range from 2.5 μm near the pulp, to 1.2 μm in the midportion, and 900 nm near the dentino-enamel junction. Although they may have tiny side-branches, the tubules do not intersect with each other. Their length is dictated by the radius of the tooth. The three dimensional configuration of the dentinal tubules is genetically determined.
There are three types of dentin, primary, secondary and tertiary. Secondary dentin is a layer of dentin produced after root formation and continues to form with age. Tertiary dentin is created in response to stimulus, such as cavities and tooth wear.

Cementum :
Cementum is a specialized bone like substance covering the root of a tooth. It is approximately 45% inorganic material (mainly hydroxyapatite), 33% organic material (mainly collagen) and 22 % water. Cementum is excreted by cementoblasts within the root of the tooth and is thickest at the root apex. Its coloration is yellowish and it is softer than dentin and enamel. The principal role of cementum is to serve as a medium by which the periodontal ligaments can attach to the tooth for stability. At the cement to enamel junction, the cementum is acellular due to its lack of cellular components, and this acellular type covers at least ⅔ of the root. The more permeable form of cementum, cellular cementum, covers about ⅓ of the root apex.

Dental pulp :
The dental pulp is the central part of the tooth filled with soft connective tissue. This tissue contains blood vessels and nerves that enter the tooth from a hole at the apex of the root. Along the border between the dentin and the pulp are odontoblasts, which initiate the formation of dentin. Other cells in the pulp include fibroblasts, preodontoblasts, macrophages and T-lymphocytes. The pulp is commonly called "the nerve" of the tooth.

FAQ

1. Why enamel is important for us ?

Enamel is having highest calcium content, so it is strongest layer in tooth which can withstand all occlusal forces. It helps us for eating all kind of stuff easily and protects inner layers of tooth.

2. Why dentin is important for us ?

Dentin is second layer of tooth which is hard but also porous in nature which contains some organic matter which help maintaining strength of tooth. Dentinal tubules are working as carrier of vibrations or sensation through liquid and help while eating food.

3. Why Pulp is important for us ?

Dental Pulp contains a pulp chamber and root canals filled with blood and nerve endings which carry sensations recieved by tooth or forces on tooth, so both together work to nurish tooth layers and keep tooth alive for lifetime.

4. Why Cementum is important for us ?

Cementum covers most of the root surface of tooth which is inside bone level and also works as anchorage point for periodontal ligaments.

5. Why Periodontal Ligaments are important for us ?

Periodontal ligaments hold tooth in socket and works as a shock absorber for all the forces encountered on tooth.

6. Why Dental socket is important for us ?

Dental Socket creates a space where periodontal ligaments are attached on other side and help to maintain tooth in position for lifetime.

7. Why alveolar bone is important for us ?

Alveolar bone helps in recieving forces from occlusion and create foundation on which all teeth can fit inside sockets, also it helps to create uniform arch structure for better eating.

8. Why gingiva is important for us ?

Gingiva is outermost layer on bone which helps in nurishment and gives outer soft tissue cover for bone which works as cushion.

9. Why Nerves and blood vesels are important for us ?

Nerves act as carriers of sensation from tooth to brain and blood vessels act as nurishment provider throgh arteries, capillaries and veins.