What makes a human tooth

The images of a cross-section of the root of a tooth (a ground preparation) show various details of the structure of a tooth. Many of the visible details will not be discussed here. To go more deeply, scientific literature is available.

One of the clearly visible structures is the dentine. This is a mineralized tissue that forms the largest part of a tooth. At the crown of the tooth it is covered with enamel and on the side of the root with cement. Dentine is produced by the odontoblasts (a type of cells) arranged in a layer in the pulp chamber of the tooth. Odontoblasts send cellular projections to the dentin tissue, where they are enclosed in ducts called dentinal tubules. These are the channels (which are made more visible with colorant) that extend from the pulp chamber to the outer wall of the dentine. Dentinal tubules also contain fluid that is thought to participate in the mechanisms responsible for sensation in the tooth by external stimuli.

Cement consists of a thin layer of calcified tissue that covers the dentine of the root. It is one of the four tissues that attaches and supports the tooth to the jaw. Various tissue structures can be distinguished in the cement. More explanation about this can be found in scientific literature.

Prepared slide by Lieder www.lieder.com