ENAMEL

Enamel - Structure
Enamel is a Non living tissue.
 Physical Properties:
Distribution:
Present on the entire anatomical crown.
Function:
- Protection of dentine by forming a hard covering.
- Helps in Mastication of food due to its hard
structure
Thickness :
- 2.0 to 2.5 mm - permanent teeth
- 0.5 to 1.0 mm - deciduous teeth.
- Thin in the cervical region.
- Thickest at the cusp tips & incisal edges.
- Forms a double layer in the incisal edges.
Longitudinal Section of
Tooth

Showing
Distribution of Enamel
Hardness: Hardest substance in the body.
Brittleness: Highly brittle.
Specific gravity: 2.8
Permeability: Acts like a Semi-permeable
membrane
Color: Permanent teeth : Greyish white to
yellowish brown
Deciduous teeth whiter.
Refractive Index: 1.62 average
Translucency: Semi translucent in permanent
& opaque in deciduous teeth.
(depends on degree of mineralisation)
 Enamel
Chemical Characteristics :
Content % %
by Wt. by Vol.
-----------------------------------------------

Inorganic 89% 96%

Organic 2% 1%

Water 9% 3%

------------------------------------------------
Enamel
Chemical Characteristics:
Inorganic:
Calcium Hydroxyapatite Ca10(PO4)6 (OH4)2

Present in the form of Large, elongated,

needle shaped crystals which are
Hexagonal in cross section

Crystals are arranged to form Enamel Rods

or Enamel Prisms
Hydroxy apatite Crystal:

Large : In Enamel
Small : In Dentin
 Enamel
Chemical Characteristics:
Organic: 2 Main groups of proteins
1. Amelogenin: 90% of enamel protein
• low molecular weight
• Hydrophobic
• Rich in Proline, Histidine, Glutamine, Leucine
2. Non-amelogenin: 10% of enamel matrix
protein
• High molecular weight proteins
• Enamelin, Ameloblastin, Tuftelin
• Rich in Glycine, Aspartic Acid & Serine
 Structure of Enamel

Comprises of:

- Rods or prisms

- Rod sheath

- Interprismatic substance.
 Enamel Rods or Prisms
Number:
5 millions (in lower lateral incisors) to
12 millions (in upper first molars.)
Course:
- Perpendicular to DEJ
- Run in a wavy tortuous course from
Dentino-Enamel Junction (DEJ) to
surface.
( length of rods is more than the thickness
of enamel due to the oblique course of
rods )
L.S:
Thro – Cervical
Enamel

A – Enamel & Prisms

Enamel rods in cusps are longer than rods
in the cervical region

Diameter of rods increases from DEJ

towards surface enamel at a ratio of 1:2

Under cross section the surface enamel

rods resemble “Fish Scales” / “Key-
hole” / “Paddle-shaped” appearance
Heads & Tails
Heads
&
Tails
• Key hole shape

• Heads & Tails.

• Length of Rod from

head to tail = 9um

• Diameter of Rod =
5um
• Heads point towards
occlusal surface &
Tails point cervically
Direction of rods : At right angles to Dentine
surface.
Area Permanent teeth Deciduous
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Incisal Oblique/Vertical Oblique/Vertical

Middle Horizontal Horizontal

Cervical In apical direction Horizontal

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Enamel Rods – contd…
Apatite Crystals:
- Inorganic constituents of enamel.
- Thin ribbon like / Needle like.
- Length - 0.05μm.
- Thickness - 30 m
- Width - 90 m (1m = 10 A units)
- Each crystallite is surrounded by sheath of
organic matrix.
In heads of rods –
Crystals arranged
parallel to long axis

In tails of rods –

Crystals arranged at 65
degree to the long axis
 Enamel Rod Striations
- Alternating segments of dark lines give a striated
appearance to the enamel rods
- Striations more pronounced in insufficiently calcified
enamel
- Alternating appearance because of rythmic
deposition of enamel
- Segments are of uniform length = 4um
Gnarled Enamel
Bundles of enamel
rods which are
irregularly
intertwinned in the
region of cusps and
incisal edges
(provides additional
Strength &
Toughness to the
enamel in these
locations where
maximum stresses
are perceived )
Rod Sheath:

- Thin peripheral layer covering

rods.
- Shows different refractory index &
stains dark.
- Less calcified
- With more organic matter.
- More acid resistant.
- Incomplete structure.
Decalcified Section Showing:

• Prism Core

• Prism Sheath
Inter-Prismatic Substance:
- Cementing enamel rods together

- More calcified than the rod sheath.

- Less calcified than the rod itself.
- Substance of high Refractory index
Hunter Schreger Bands
- Broad alternating light & dark bands of varying width
seen in oblique reflected light or polarized light
- Originating at the (DEJ) passing outwards but not
reaching the surface of enamel
- Seen only in Longitudinal sections
- Longitudinally cut enamel prisms appear DARK and
are called PARAZONES
- Transversely cut enamel prisms appear LIGHT and
are called DIAZONES.
- Angle between Diazones and parazones is 40
Degrees
- Enamel prisms in each zone are deviated in opposite
direction and also tilted to about 50 degrees with
respect to central axis

- Changes in prism direction to minimize the risk of

cleavage due to masticatory stresses

- Each zone shows differences in mineralisation,

content of organic matter & permeability .
• Changes in
direction of
Prisms.
Structural Lines in Enamel
 Structural Lines in Enamel:

• Incremental lines of Rhetzius

or Striae of Rhetzius

• Accentuated Incremental line

• Neonatal Line & Ring

Incremental Lines of
Retzius
- Brownish bands seen in
Ground sections
- Indicate incremental
pattern of successive laying of
layers of enamel matrix
- Shows variation in structure
& mineralisation
(Hypomineralised)
• In L.S. they surround • In T.S. they are
tip of dentine in the arranged in
crown & in cervical concentric circles
area run obliquely like annular
from (DEJ) to surface growth rings.
Neonatal Line & Ring :

A dark accentuated line in enamel

showing a period of rest or
disturbance in calcification and
delienates the enamel formed before
birth & after birth.
Neonatal Ring:
( N.N. ring is only seen in Transeverse
Neonatal Line

• Disturbance in
development of
Enamel at birth.
• Exagerated Stria.
• Seen in all
deciduous teeth.
• More prominent in
First Permanent
Molar.
 END OF
PART ONE