Pulp Cavities Dental Anatomy
Lecture no. : 16
Lecturer : Ghassan Ali
Lecture name : Pulp cavities
The dental pulp is the soft tissue of the tooth. The pulp occupies the internal cavities or spaces of the tooth which includes the pulp camber and the pulp canal (root canal).
The shape of the pulp cavities correspond to the external outline form of the tooth (the shape of the pulp chamber corresponds to the shape of the crown whereas the shape of the pulp canal corresponds to the shape of the roots).
The size of the pulp cavity depends on the age of the tooth and the history of trauma.
At the apical end of the root there is an opening, through which the neurovascular bundle enters the pulp, called apical foramen.
Pulp horns are projections or prolongations of the pulp in the roof of the pulp chamber that corresponds to the major cusps or lobes of the crown.
Pulp cavities of the maxillary teeth:
Max. central incisor:
The pulp chamber is very narrow labiolingually and wide mesiodistally. In cross section, the pulp chamber is triangular in outline with the base of the triangle at the labial aspect.
Max. lateral incisor:
Pulp chamber anatomy is similar to that of central. In cross section, it may be triangular, oval or rounded.
Max. canine:
Pulp chamber is narrower mesiodistally than labiolingually. In cross section, the shape of the pulp space is oval.
Max. first premolar:
It has two canals usually but may have one canal. The pulp chamber is kidney shape in cross section.
Max. second premolar:
It has one canal usually but may have two canals. The pulp chamber is oval shape in cross section.
Max. first molar:
It has three canals (mesiobuccal, distobuccal and palatal). The pulp chamber is rhomboidal shape in cross section.
Max. second molar:
It has three canals (mesiobuccal, distobuccal and palatal). Pulp chamber anatomy is similar to that of max. first molar but the chamber is much smaller in mesiodistal section.
Pulp cavities of mand. Teeth:
Mand. Central incisor:
It has one canal usually but it may have two canals. The pulp cavity is narrow mesiodistally and wide labiolingually. In cross section the pulp chamber may be round, oval or elliptical in shape.
Mand. Lateral incisor:
Similar to the central but larger in size.
Mand. Canine:
The pulp cavity is similar in size and shape to that of max. canine but tends to be a little shorter. In cross section, it is oval in shape.
Mand. First premolar:
This tooth mostly has one canal, but two canals are possible. The pulp horn of the buccal cusp is prominent but that of the lingual cusp is usually small or completely absent. In cross section, the pulp cavity may be round or elliptical.
Occlusion refers to any contact relationship between maxillary and mandibular teeth during function.
During the maximum intercuspation, the mesiolingual cusp of the maxillary molars occludes with the central fossa of the mandibular molars.
Each tooth occludes with two teeth of the apposing jaw except mandibular central incisor and maxillary second molar.
With the exception of mandibular incisors and maxillary third molars, each tooth contacts two antagonist teeth in the apposing arch.