[Fine tissue studies of the nerve supply to the dental pulp in domestic sheep (O. ammon aries Linné, 1758)].

The nerve supply of the pulp was investigated in 17 sheep of various breeds and age groups belonging to both sexes, using light and electron microscopy. The following results were obtained: The dental pulp of sheep is supplied with myelinated and unmyelinated nerve fibres. The subodontoblastic plexus of Raschkow, as found in man, is absent in sheep. Single axons may be found in the predentine between the odontoblasts and near Tomes' processes. The rare occurrence of both subodontoblastic nerve fibres and cells of the immune system in the ovine pulp is discussed in relation to evolutionary processes, in light of the fact that sheep are relatively resistant to caries.