OHE M1 o Perpendicular to DEJ; originates at DEJ

ENAMEL o ENAMEL PRISM – hexagonal and prism like

• Hard protective substance that covers the tooth
surface
o CYLINDRICAL ROD – paddle-shaped with
• Hardest biologic tissue in the human body head and tail

o Arranged in tent-like manner

• Covers the anatomical crown

o Pathway of progress of caries follow

• Provides shape and contour for the crowns
enamel rod
• Poor conductor of heat and electricity
o TRANSVERSE STRIATIONS

• Becomes thinner within the fissures

 Dark lines crossing the rods
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ENAMEL:
o GNARLED ENAMEL ROD
• extremely hard

• brittle white to grayish-white  Tortuous intertwining pathways of

enamel rods
• permeable to a limited extent
 Offers greatest resistance to the
cuspal and incisal areas
• specific gravity is 2.8

• ENAMEL ROD SHEATH

• smooth and glossy

o Contains more enamel proteins

COMPOSITION OF ENAMEL:
• INORGANIC MATERIAL
o More acid resistant than other regions
o 96 – 68%
o Fish-scale appearance of enamel matrix
o HYDROXYAPATITE absorbs the ff
o Rod’s surface (core)
substances:
• INTERROD ENAMEL
 VANADIUM
o Cements rods
 MANGANESE

 SELENIUM

 MOLYBDENUM
STRUCTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ENAMEL
 STRONIUM
• INCREMENTAL LINES OF RETZIUS
• ORGANIC MATERIAL
o Oblique lines
o 2 – 4%
o Marks primary calcification of enamel
o Includes water
o Concentric rings
AMELOGENINS
• Immature fetal enamel o PERIKYMATA

• Contains high proportions of GLUTAMIC ACID,  Shallow horizontal grooves

PROLINE & HISTIDINE
o NEONATAL LINE
ENAMELINS
• Mature enamel proteins  More pronounced incremental line

STRUCTURES OF ENAMEL:  Seen in most primary teeth and

• ENAMEL RODS permanent central incisor

o Structural unit • TRANSVERSE STRIATIONS

1
 o Bands or cross striations • EROSION

o Marks daily appositional growth of enamel o Loss of tooth substance due to chemical
means
• BANDS OF HUNTER-SCHREGER
o Acids, chemical fumes (people working in
o Change of rod direction factories, wind instrument musicians)

o Prevents enamel cracking during o From vomiting

mastication
• ABFRACTION
o DIAZONES
o Loss of tooth substance (non-carious) at the
 Dark bands surface of the teeh due to masticatory
stress
o PARAZONES
o CUSPAL FLEXURE
 Light bands
 Causes changes at enamel on the
• ENAMEL TUFTS cervical area

o Abrupt change in direction of rods • LOSS OF PERIKYMATA

o Lateral spread of caries o Depression on the surface of enamel which

are manifested as incremental lines of
• ENAMEL LAMELLAE retzius

o Cracks • DISCOLORATION

o Pathway for bacteria to penetrate the o Drinking colored beverages

enamel
o Smoking: nicotine stain
• ENAMEL SPINDLE
o Extrinsic discoloration
o Hypersensitivity of DEJ
o Intrinsic discoloration
o ectomesenchyme in origin
• REDUCED PERMEABILITY
o comes form odontoblastic spindle
• NECROTIC PULP TISSUE
• DENTINO-ENAMEL JUNCTION
o Discoloration of tooth by non-functioning
o Junction between enamel and dentin pulp tissue

o Scalloped profile in cross section • MODIFICATION OF SURFACE LAYER

o Due to wear and tear

AGE CHANGES: • REDUCTION IN INCIDENCE OF CARIES

• ATTRITION o Less caries as a person ages

o Physiologic wearing away of tooth

substance due to occlusal contact
(masticatory stress) CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS:

• ABRASION • FLUORIDATION

o Loss of tooth substance because of o Fluoride incorporated in water

mechanical means like tooth brushing
o Optimum ratio of fluoride in water:
o Cervical abrasion because of horizontal 1/1,000,000
brushing
• FLUOROSIS

2
 o Condition where the teeth are chalky white

• FLUORIDIZATION

o Topical application of fluoride

• DENTAL CARIES

o #1 disease affecting the tooth

o Destruction of hard tissue structure and

depletion of proteins

o Affects the enamel, dentin and cementum

• ACID ETCHING

o BRACES (orthodontic cases)

 Use of PHOSPHORIC ACID to

expose the enamel rods for better
anchorage of the brackets

o Good to know: follow the direction of

enamel rod when making a cavity
preparation so that there will be no carious
parts left behind.

-Rosette Go 011509 