The Dentin

Dr. Ghassan Balousha

Department of Pathology
Faculty of Medicine
Al-Quds University
 Contour lines of Owen
⚫During development of dentin:
⚫variations in the metabolism of the organism cause
variations in the amount of organic material deposited
in the dentin.
⚫Changes in the coloration of the dentin are called
contour lines of Owen.
⚫The first dentin that is layed down (at the DEJ) forms
the mantle layer while subsequent dentin forms the
circumpulpal layer.
⚫In the crown of tooth, dentinal tubules from S-shaped
primary curves.
A, Contour line of Owen; B, Mantle layer of dentin; C,
Circumpulpal layer of dentin; D, DEJ
A, Contour line of Owen; B, Stria of Retzius
Contour lines of Owen and Stria of Retzius

⚫The contour lines of

Owen intercept the
dentino-enamel junction
and meet an accompanying
Stria of Retzius that was
formed at the same time.
⚫Daily alterations in the formation
of dentin produce imbrication
lines of von Ebner that are
approximately 5 µm in length,
are seen as banding along
the dentinal tubules and are
comparable to the cross-
striations in enamel. Arrow
indicates the direction of the
lines of von Ebner that are
perpendicular to the dentinal
tubules.
Each odontoblast has a long
process that projects through
the dentin to the DEJ.
The hole or tube in the dentin
through which this process
projects is called the dentinal
Tubule.
The course of the dentinal tubules
in the crown of the tooth is
S-shaped due to the crowding of
the odontoblasts as they get
squeezed into a smaller and smaller
space within the pulp cavity.
This curve is called a primary curve.
Odontoblasts in an erupted tooth
⚫As the dentin layer forms,
the odontoblast become
increasingly crowded as they
are squeezed into a smaller
area. The single layer of
odontoblasts (as occurs in early
development) has now changed
to stacks of odontoblasts.
A, Odontoblasts; B, Predentin;
C, Pulp cavity;
D, Dentinal tubules
 Secondary curves
⚫During the deposition of dentin, the odontoblast makes
slight undulations
that creates wavy dentinal
tubules. This waviness of
the dentinal tubules is
called secondary curves.
 Mantle dentin
A, Enamel; B, Circumpulpal dentin; C, Mantle dentin
⚫When viewed in polarized light, mantle dentin
(red band), which is about 10 µm wide, can be differentiated
from
circumpulpal dentin
(purple with black
dentinal tubules).
This is due to a
difference in the
collagen fibers in mantle
dentin.
Globular calcification of dentin
⚫Dentin is calcified
after it is formed.
The calcification begins
in small spherical areas
. These become larger
and fuse with one another
to form a calcification front (row of calcification sheres
along the predentin edge).
A, Odontoblasts; B, Predentin; C, Calcification front;
D, Calcified dentin
Calcification pattern of dentin - decalcified section

⚫In mature dentin,

globules of well-
calcified dentin are
apparent (arrow)
along with areas of
less calcified dentin
(white areas).

A, Globule of well-calcified dentin

 Interglobular dentin in globular layer - ground
section
⚫Between the mantle and circumpulpal layers is a layer of
dentin in which the calcified globules do not fuse evenly.
This is called the globular layer. In a ground section of
dentin,
the less-calcified areas
of dentin appear as
irregularly shaped
crescents called
interglobular dentin (A).
 Globular layer and granular layer
⚫In the root of the tooth, the peripheral border of mantle
dentin adjacent to the
cementum has a granular
appearance and is called the
granular layer of Tomes.
The granular layer is a less
calcified layer like that of the
globular layer.
Interglobular dentin is seen only
in the crown.
A, Circumpulpal layer; B, Globular layer; C, Mantle layer;
D, Granular layer; E, Cemento-enamel junction;
F, Enamel; G, Cementum.
 Dentinal tubules
⚫Dentinal tubules: hollow tubes that run through the
dentin in which are located the odontoblastic
processes.
⚫During formation of dentin, intertubular dentin is
layed down between the odontoblastic processes.
⚫Then a second layer of more mineralized dentin is
added to "coat" the inside of the tubules.
⚫This layer of dentin is called peritubular dentin or
intratubular dentin.
⚫In this scanning electron micrograph, the
peritubular dentin appears white
A, Peritubular dentin; B, Intertubular
dentin; C, Dentinal tubule
 Terminal branching of dentinal tubules
⚫Dentinal tubules are closely spaced but have a large
diameter close to the pulp cavity.
⚫ Dentinal tubules become more widely spaced in the
dentin but have a narrower diameter as they approach the
DEJ.
⚫At the DEJ, dentinal tubules branch.
⚫This causes an increased dentity of dentinal tubules in
cross-sections of dentin in this region.
⚫In this micrograph, note the scalloped appearance of the
DEJ. The peaks of the scallops point toward the enamel
A, Dentinal tubule; B, DEJ; C, Enamel; D,
Enamel spindle
 Peritubular and intertubular dentin
⚫In this scanning micrograph of dentin, the dentinal
tubules can be seen surrounded by a somewhat loosely
packed intertubular dentin
and a more dense peritubular
dentin.
⚫A, Intertubular dentin.
⚫B, Peritubular dentin.
⚫C, Dentinal tubule
 Forms of dentin
⚫I- Primary dentin: with straight tubules, is layed down
before completion of the apical foramen.
⚫II- Regular secondary dentin:
is characterized by a slower rate of deposition and an
abrupt change in the direction of the dentinal tubules.
⚫III- Tertiary or irregular secondary (also called irritation,
reparative or reactive) dentin is layed down in response to
an irritation or damage to the overlying dentin and/or
enamel. This dentin has irregularly arranged and few
dentinal tubules.
⚫With aging or severe damage, tertiary dentin can totally
obliterate the pulp cavity.
A, Primary dentin; B, Secondary (regular) dentin;
C, Reactive dentin
 Dead tracts and blind tracts
⚫When dentin is damaged, odontoblastic processes die or
retract leaviing empty dentinal tubules.
⚫ Areas with empty dentinal tubules are called dead tracts
and appear as dark areas in ground sections of tooth.
With time, these dead tracts can become completely filled
in mineral.
⚫This region is called blind tracts and appears white in
sections of ground tooth.
⚫The dentin in blind tracts is called sclerotic dentin.
⚫The adaptive advantage of blind tracts is the sealing off of
the dentinal tubules to prevent bacteria from entering the
pulp cavity.
A, Dead tract; B, Blind tract (containing
sclerotic dentin)