Dentine
Definition
The mineralised tissue forming the bulk of the tooth, surrounding the pulp chamber and root canal. Contains a network of dentinal tubules, each approximately 1 to 2 micrometres in diameter, lined with odontoblast cell processes. These processes retain DNA even in highly degraded specimens, making dentine the preferred source for forensic DNA extraction from teeth.
- Composition
- Mineralised tissue surrounding the pulp
- Structure
- Dentinal tubules, 1 to 2 micrometres wide
- Cell process
- Odontoblast processes line tubules
- Forensic use
- Preferred DNA source from teeth
Common questions
Why is dentine preferred over enamel or pulp for DNA extraction?+
Enamel has almost no cellular material once mature, and pulp tissue decomposes quickly after death. Dentine's tubules keep odontoblast cell remnants sealed within a mineral matrix, protecting DNA from the microbial and enzymatic attack that destroys soft tissue.
How is dentine typically prepared for DNA extraction?+
The tooth is usually sectioned and the enamel and pulp chamber removed or drilled away, isolating dentine powder or fragments, which are then demineralised with a chelating or acid solution before standard DNA extraction proceeds.
Related terms
- Cementum
- A thin, bone-like mineralised tissue that covers the external surface of the tooth root. Deposited incrementally throughout life in alternating translucent and...
- Enamel
- The outermost layer of the tooth crown, formed by ameloblasts before tooth eruption. Composed of approximately 96% hydroxyapatite mineral by weight. Acellular...
- Cementum Annuli
- Incremental growth layers in cementum, deposited at a rate of approximately one pair of translucent and opaque bands per year throughout adult...
- Crown
- The visible portion of a tooth above the gum line, covered by enamel. In forensic charting, crown morphology, restorations, and wear patterns...
- Deciduous Dentition
- The first set of 20 teeth, also called primary or milk teeth, that erupt from approximately six months and are progressively replaced...
- Occlusion
- The way upper and lower teeth meet when the jaw closes. Occlusal wear patterns, class I/II/III relationships, and individual facets on specific...
- Odontoblast
- A specialised cell of neural crest origin that forms dentine. The cell body sits at the pulp-dentine junction while a long cellular...
- Stable Isotope Analysis
- A technique that measures the ratio of stable (non-radioactive) isotopes of elements such as strontium, oxygen, and carbon in a biological sample....
Explained in these topics
- Dental Anatomy: Morphology, Tissues and the ArchesThe mineralised tissue beneath enamel that forms the bulk of the tooth. Primary dentine forms during development; secondary dentine deposits throughout life in...
- Dental Tissue and Its Forensic Applications