Which tissue type forms the bulk of the tooth mass beneath enamel?

Which tissue type forms the bulk of the tooth mass beneath enamel?

• A. Enamel
• B. Dentin
• C. Pulp
• D. Cementum

Answer: (B)

Dentin forms the bulk of the tooth mass beneath enamel. Enamel sits on the very outer crown as a thin, highly mineralized but acellular layer, so its mass is limited. Dentin, produced by odontoblasts at the pulp-dentin border, fills the area beneath enamel and extends through the crown and into the roots, providing most of the tooth’s volume and structural support. Cementum covers the roots as a thinner layer, and the pulp is the soft, central tissue; neither contributes as much to the tooth’s overall mass as dentin.

Dentin forms the bulk of the tooth mass beneath enamel. Enamel sits on the very outer crown as a thin, highly mineralized but acellular layer, so its mass is limited. Dentin, produced by odontoblasts at the pulp-dentin border, fills the area beneath enamel and extends through the crown and into the roots, providing most of the tooth’s volume and structural support. Cementum covers the roots as a thinner layer, and the pulp is the soft, central tissue; neither contributes as much to the tooth’s overall mass as dentin.