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Dentin Basic Structure, Composition, and Function

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The Root Canal Anatomy in Permanent Dentition

Abstract

Dentin is the largest structural component of the human tooth. Dentin provides support to enamel, preventing enamel fractures during occlusal loading. It also protects the pulp from microbial and other potentially harmful stimuli. As vital tissue, dentin is not only a passive mechanical barrier between the oral environment and the pulp tissue but, in many ways, participates in the overall protection of the continuum of the hard and soft tissue often referred as the dentin-pulp complex. For example, dentin contains several growth factors that may be liberated during wear or caries and participate in the regulation of the defensive reaction at the dentin-pulp border or the pulp proper. Odontoblasts project their cell processes into dentinal tubules, and also therefore the division of the “vital” pulp and “dead” mineralized dentin is artificial. Different parts of the dentin in a particular tooth may also qualitatively differ from each other, which enables it to meet the requirements of that specific location.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    Leo Tjäderhane D.D.S., Ph.D.

  2. Institute of Dentistry, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    Leo Tjäderhane D.D.S., Ph.D.

  3. Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland

    Leo Tjäderhane D.D.S., Ph.D.

  4. Research Unit of Oral Health Sciences, and Medical Research Center Oulu (MRC Oulu), Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    Leo Tjäderhane D.D.S., Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Leo Tjäderhane D.D.S., Ph.D.
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil

    Marco A. Versiani

  2. University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

    Bettina Basrani

  3. University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil

    Manoel D. Sousa-Neto

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Tjäderhane, L. (2019). Dentin Basic Structure, Composition, and Function. In: Versiani, M., Basrani, B., Sousa-Neto, M. (eds) The Root Canal Anatomy in Permanent Dentition. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73444-6_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73444-6_2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-73443-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-73444-6

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