ENAMEL

Department of Oral Pathology

PARTS OF TOOTH

ENAMEL
DENTIN
PULP

ROOT CANAL
CEMENTUM

PDL
 SPECIALITIES OF ENAMEL

 Ectodermal in origin
 No regenerative capacity
 No blood supply
 No nerve to react against stimuli
 Doesn’t contain collagen
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ENAMEL

 HARDNESS & DENSITY

  HARDNESS & DENSITY

 Hardest tissue in the body

 Varies in different parts of tooth surface

 Hardness decreases – Enamel surface to DEJ

Cusp/Incisal edge to cervix

 Decidous teeth less harder than perm. teeth

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ENAMEL

 HARDNESS & DENSITY

 THICKNESS
 THICKNESS

 Thickest in cuspal/incisal edge= 2-2.5mm

 Thinnest – Cervical Margin

 Intermediate – Lateral Surface= 1.3mm

 Deciduous teeth- even thickness

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ENAMEL

 HARDNESS & DENSITY

 THICKNESS
 BRITTLE
  BRITTLE

 Most brittle part of the body

 Breaks away easily

 Requires underlying resilient dentin to maintain integrity

 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ENAMEL

 HARDNESS & DENSITY

 THICKNESS
 BRITTLE
 HIGH SPECIFIC GRAVITY- 2.8-3.1
 HIGH MODULUS OF ELASTICITY-19x106 psi
 LOW TENSILE STRENGTH
 PERMEABILITY- Semipermeable
 OPTICAL PROPERTIES
OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF ENAMEL

 TRANSLUCENT
 BIREFRINGENT
 REFRACTIVE INDEX-1.62 U
 HUNTER SCHERGER BAND
 GNARLED ENAMEL
 TRANSLUCENT
 Semitranslucent
 Color of enamel
 Enamel thickness
 Homogenity
 Translucency
 Colour of dentin
 Incisal edge-Bluish white
Cervical margin- Yellowish
 Deciduous teeth whiter than permanent teeth
 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ENAMEL

 HARDNESS & DENSITY

 THICKNESS
 BRITTLE
 HIGH SPECIFIC GRAVITY
 HIGH MODULUS OF ELASTICITY
 LOW TENSILE STRENGTH
 PERMEABILITY
 OPTICAL PROPERTIES
 CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

INORGANIC - 96%
•Calcium phosphate – hydroxy apatite
crystal (Ca10(PO4)6OH2

•Carbonate, magnesium, pottassium,

sodium & fluoride
•Vanadeum,manganeese,selenium,
molybdinum & strontium

ORGANIC - 4%

• Amelogenin – glutamic acid, proline & histidine

• Enamelin - aspartic acid,serine

 STRUCTURE OF ENAMEL

 Enamel rods/ enamel prism

 Hydroxyapatite crystals
Prism sheath & interprismatic substances
ENAMEL RODS IN LONGITUDINAL SECION
 ENAMEL RODS IN LONGITUDINAL SECION

Direction

Number- <DEJ
->Surface
Diameter->DEJ
- < Surface
ENAMEL RODS IN CROSS SECTION

 Circular
 Fish scale
 Key hole
 ENAMEL RODS IN CROSS SECTION

 Circular
 Fish scale
 Key hole
 ENAMEL RODS IN CROSS SECTION

 Circular
 Fish scale
 Key hole
 ENAMEL RODS IN CROSS SECTION

 Circular
 Fish scale
 Key hole
 ENAMEL RODS IN CROSS SECTION

 Circular
 Fish scale
 Key hole
Enamel crystals
• Impure Hydroxyapatite crystals
• Ca5 (Po4)3 (OH)

• Shape  Irregularly
Hexagonal
• Length  1600nm
• Thickness  30 nm
• Width  90 μ m
Arrangement
• Head region  Parallel to long axis of the rod
• Tail region  Deviate from the long axis (65
degrees)
ENAMEL RODS IN CROSS SECTION
Enamel rod

Ameloblast
Enamel rod & Ameloblast
• Each rod is formed by 4 ameloblast
• Each ameloblast forms 4 enamel
rods
• 1 ameloblast – Head
• 3 ameloblast – Tail
APRISMATIC ENAMEL( PRISMLESS ENAMEL)

• DEJ • Highly calcified

• Outer surface • Only crystals arranged in
• 20-30 μ parallel to each other
• Reason  Absence of tomes
process of ameloblast
 GNARLED ENAMEL

 Optical phenomenon
Twisting/undulating/
overlapping of enamel rods
 Cuspal & Incisal region

 Ameloblast retreat in a very

irregular course

 Increase in strength to resist

masticatory forces
 INCREMENTAL LINES

 Minor incremental lines - Cross striations

 Major incremental lines - Striae of Retzius

 Neonatal lines
 CROSS STRIATION

 Irregular lines crossing at regular intervals

 Daily increments
 Distance between two cross striations – 4 micrometer
STRIAE OF RETZIUS
 Striae-Thick line
Series of irregularly spaced dark brown lines
 Run from DEJ to surface
More oblique than the enamelrods
 Dist: 20-80um
 Represent enamel deposited in 7-14 days
 Width- 4-15um
 More prominent in permanent teeth
 Hypocalcified areas

 Temporary constrictions of Tomes process

Types

 Complete Striae
Incomplete Striae
EXTERNAL MANIFESTATIONS OF STRIAE OF RETZIUS

Perikymata
Imbrication lines of
pickerill
NEONATAL LINE

 Physiological disturbance
of birth
 Demarcate prenatal enamel
& postnatal enamel
 Deciduous teeth and Perm
1st Molar
 Prenatal towards dentin,
more homogenous
 HUNTER – SCHREGER BAND

Optical phenomenon –due to changes in rod direction

 Alternating broad (50um) dark and light bands
 Present in inner 1/3rd of enamel
 Absent in outer surface and near DEJ
 Originate from DEJ towards surface
 Broad base near DEJ and taper towards surface
Transverse section-Light-Parazones
Longitudinal Section-Dark-Diazones
DENTINO ENAMEL JUNCTION
 Junction between enamel and dentin

Established during development

 Appears scallopped

 Concavity-Enamel, Convexity towrds dentin

 Prominent near cusps, less on lateral surface

 Mechanical interlocking-Strengthens bond between

enamel & dentin
 STRUCTURES RELATED TO DEJ

ENAMEL LAMELLAE

ENAMEL TUFTS

ENAMEL SPINDLES
ENAMEL SPINDLES
 Cylindrical club shaped structures

 Extend 100um from DEJ to the surface

Appear dark – Hypomineralised structure

Do not follow the direction of enamel rods

 May be continuous with dentinal tubules

Entrapped odontoblastic process during amelogenesis

ENAMEL TUFTS
 Structures resemble tufts of grass

 Present in Inner 1/3rd of enamel

 Hypomineralised structure - appear dark

 Direction same as the enamel rods

 Form at 100um intervals

 Better seen in Cross section

 More in cervical region of tooth

ENAMEL LAMELLAE
 Leaf like structures- surface to DEJ
 Extend into full thickness of enamel, halfway or
into dentin
 Produced in areas of tension
 Narrower, longer and less common than tufts
 Arranged irregularly
 Better seen in transverse section
 Cervical enamel
 Hypocalcified structure
 Types of Lamellae:
 Type A
 Type B
 Type C

Clinical significance:
Pathway for cariogenic organism
Resemble crack ie linear slit on the surface
 AGE CHANGES

 Loss of tooth structure- no regeneration

 Loss of perikymata- smooth surface

 Color- darker, transluscent,loss of thickness-

 Permeability- decreases

 Composition
Increase in flouride content HAP crystals -flourapatite

Increase nitrogen
decrease water content
 CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Unsupported enamel removed – cavity preparation –

Prevent fracture

Enamel lamellae- Passage for cariogenic organisms

Gnarled enamel- resist masticatory stresses

Thin enamel- pit & fissures, prone to caries attack

Topical application of flouride- Decrease caries

Cavity preparation – Direction of enamel rods

Class II cavity – taper gingival seat
 AMELOGENESIS

 Process of enamel formation

 Ameloblasts – inner enamel epithelium
 Late bell stage – cuspal region
 Enamel – highly mineralised tissue
Formation require
Enzymes – alkaline phosphatase –
stratum intermedium
Nutrition – glycogen from IEE
 AMELOGENESIS

Secretory phase
Synthesis of organic matrix
Amelogenin
Enamelin
Partial Mineralisation (30%)

Maturation phase
Final mineralisation
Reciprocal Induction
 AMELOGENESIS
SECRETORY PHASE

Synthesis of organic matrix

Immediate mineralisation (30%)– no pre enamel
Intial foci of crystals – Dentin –Nucleators/seeds
Aprismatic enamel
Prismatic enamel – Tome’s process
Retraction of Tome’s process – Aprismatic enamel
MATURATION PHASE

 2 phases

 Removal of protein & water

 Rapid influx of calcium & phosphorous ions

 Growth of hydroxy apatite crystals

 LIFE CYCLE OF AMELOBLAST

 MORPHOGENIC

 ORGANISING

 FORMATIVE

 MATURATIVE

 PROTECTIVE

 DESMOLYTIC
 LIFE CYCLE OF AMELOBLAST

 MORPHOGENIC

 ORGANISING

 FORMATIVE

 MATURATIVE

 PROTECTIVE

 DESMOLYTIC
 LIFE CYCLE OF AMELOBLAST

 MORPHOGENIC

 ORGANISING

 FORMATIVE

 MATURATIVE

 PROTECTIVE

 DESMOLYTIC
 LIFE CYCLE OF AMELOBLAST

 MORPHOGENIC

 ORGANISING

 FORMATIVE

 MATURATIVE

 PROTECTIVE

 DESMOLYTIC
Terminal Bar
Apparatus
Tome’s Process
 LIFE CYCLE OF AMELOBLAST

 MORPHOGENIC

 ORGANISING

 FORMATIVE

 MATURATIVE

 PROTECTIVE

 DESMOLYTIC
 LIFE CYCLE OF AMELOBLAST

 MORPHOGENIC

 ORGANISING

 FORMATIVE

 MATURATIVE

 PROTECTIVE

 DESMOLYTIC
AMELOGENESIS
Frequently asked questions
• Define enamel ?explain in detail about
amelogenesis?
• Explain in detail about physical properties
of enamel?
• Explain in detail about chemical properties
of enamel
• Explain in detail about structure of enamel
• Explain in detail about ameloblastic cycle
objectives
• By the end of this session the objective is to
known about the development of
enamel,physical properties,chemical
properties, structure of enamel,
ameloblastic cycle .