Observations on giant tubules in human coronal dentin by light microscopy and microradiography

Human coronal dentin was studied by light microscopy and microradiography. The material comprised 50 permanent and 10 primary anterior teeth and microradiographs of 63 primary anterior teeth from a previous study. Both intact and worn teeth were examined. Ground sections in the long axes of the crowns in the buccolingual and mesiodistal planes were prepared, as well as transverse sections. A few crowns were also examined in toto. A system of giant tubules extending from the border of the pulpal cavity could be followed, though not continuously, through the secondary and primary dentin almost to the incisal dentinoenamel junction was observed. The lumina of the tubules were 5-40 microns wide and bordered by an approximately 10-microns-wide, usually hypermineralized rim of dentin in which only a few dentinal tubules were clearly discernible. The giant tubules were located along the mesiodistal axes of the teeth. The number of such tubules varied between 0 and 30.