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Calcification is the accumulation of calcium salts in a body tissue. It normally occurs in the formation of bone, but calcium can be deposited abnormally in soft tissue,Miller, J. D. Cardiovascular calcification: Orbicular origins. Nature Materials 12, 476-478 (2013). causing it to harden. Calcifications may be classified on whether there is mineral balance or not, and the location of the calcification. Calcification The American Heritage Science Dictionary. Retrieved 2013-03-23. Calcification may also refer to the processes of normal mineral deposition in biological systems, such as the formation of or .
In the pulpal structure of a tooth, calcification often presents asymptomatically, and is diagnosed as an incidental finding during radiographic interpretation. Individual teeth with calcified pulp will typically respond negatively to vitality testing; teeth with calcified pulp often lack sensation of pain, pressure, and temperature.
A common misconception is that calcification is caused by excess amount of calcium in diet. Dietary calcium intake is not associated with accumulation of calcium in soft tissue, and calcification occurs irrespective of the amount of calcium intake.
Intake of excessive vitamin D can cause vitamin D poisoning and excessive intake of calcium from the intestine which, when accompanied by a deficiency of vitamin K (perhaps induced by an anticoagulant), can result in calcification of arteries and other soft tissue.Paul Price, et al., "Warfarin-Induced Artery Calcification Is Accelerated by Growth and Vitamin D", Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, 2000, Vol. 20, pp. 317-327. Such metastatic soft tissue calcification is mainly in tissues containing "calcium catchers" such as elastic fibres or mucopolysaccharides. These tissues especially include the lungs (pumice lung) and the aorta.McGavin, Zachary. Pathologic basis of veterinary disease, fourth edition; Elsevier 2007.
Robbins and Cotran (2009), ''Pathologic Basis of Disease'',
8th edition, Elsevier.
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