RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Predentin, the unmineralized organic matrix is important in maintaining the integrity of dentin. It is usually thick where active dentinogenesis occurs. A wide variation in its thickness is reported. Hence, we determined the variation in predentin thickness at various sites of different age groups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 60 freshly extracted teeth (maxillary and mandibular first premolars) were divided into three groups with 20 teeth in each as, Group 1 - teeth with incomplete root formation (age <16 years), Group 2 - teeth with complete root formation (aged between 16 and 30 years), Group 3 - teeth of patients aged above 30 years. The teeth were fixed, decalcified and sections of 6 µ thickness were obtained, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. The distance between the odontoblastic cell layers of the pulp to the border line of the dentin was considered for the measurement of the predentin thickness. A total of nine sites were considered for each specimen. RESULTS: The present study revealed varied mean predentin thickness at all nine sites in all three age groups. Maximum and minimum thickness was observed at the apex and pulp floor respectively in all three groups. There was a statistical significant difference in predentin thickness between groups 1 and 3 and 2 and 3. CONCLUSION: The predentin thickness in the first group gradually increased toward the growing end near the apex, while it was relatively constant in the second group and increased overall thickness at all the sites in the third group. A notable finding was a linear increase with age in width of the predentin and the thickness vary as a function of odontoblastic activity during different stages of tooth development.