FUNCTIONS AND PHYSIOLOGY OF DENTAL PULP
Dental Pulp is a connective tissue that is uniquely situated within the rigid encasement of mineralised dentin. Although dental pulp shares many properties with other connective tissues of the body, the peculiar location of the dental pulp gives it several unique characteristics on it
Dental Pulp have three main periods in its life:
- Embryonic
- Starts at the moment of dental papilla formation and stops when the root apex is completely formed
- Functional
- Begins after the embryonic stage and lasts for a long time before gradual change occurs
- Senile
- Fibres increasing. Cell and tissue environment are decreasing
- Volume of pulp decreases and functions are slowing down
Functions of the Pulp
Inductive
- Induces the cells producing the dentin that surrounds and protects the pulps
- Pulp also induces the enamel organ to become a particular type of tooth
Formative
- Pulp cells produce the dentin
- Odontoblasts develop the organic matrix and function in its calcification
- Through development of odontoblast’s processes, dentin is formed along the tubule wall as well as at the pulp-predentin area
Nutritive
- Pulp nourishes the dentin through the odontoblasts and their processes
- Provide vitality to the teeth with its cells, blood vessels and nerves
Protective
- During infection and inflammation, high viscosity of proteoglycans may present a mechanical barrier to bacteria
- However, several bacterial species, such as some strains of streptococci, produce hyaluronidase as a spreading factor. Enzyme reduces the viscosity of barrier by hydrolysing glycosaminoglycans and thus contributes to bacterial penetration of connective tissues
- Pulp responds to stimuli such as heat, cold, pressure and operative cutting procedures
- Pulp protected with the formation of sclerotic dentin
- Pulp protected itself and dentin with mineral deposition in the tubules against bacterial products invasions
- Pulp is protected with the formation of tertiary dentin
Reparative Function
- Pulp is an organ with remarkable restorative abilities
- Responds to mechanical, thermal, chemical, bacterial stimuli
- It is producing reparative dentin and mineralizing any affected dentinal tubules
- Pulp can be reparative through its response to operative cutting or dental caries by the formation of reparative dentin
Sensory Function
- Sensory nerves in the tooth respond with pain to all stimuli such as heat, cold, pressure, operative procedures and chemicals
- Nerves also initial reflexes that central circulation in the pulp, this sympathetic function is a reflex providing stimulation to visceral motor fibres terminating on the muscles of blood vessels