Introduction and Definition: According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word ‘Enamel’ means a hard, thin layer of a substance with glossy appearance that is used to cover another substance. (Merriam-Webster)
While tooth enamel in particular is an extremely hard calcified tissue that forms a very thin layer covering the anatomical crown portion of the tooth. It’s by far the hardest tissue in the human body and it’s supported by dentin. Enamel is formed of prisms that are secreted by ameloblasts which are of epithelial origin, unlike bone, dentin and cementum which are considered connective tissue. The tooth enamel has no neural or vascular supply and is entirely acellular.
Physical, Mechanical and Chemical Properties of Tooth Enamel: Tooth enamel is the hardest tissue in any animal body because of its very high mineral content which is around 96% and can reach up to, and occasionally exceed, 98% of the total enamel weight. This mineral content is mainly in the form of hydroxyapatite, Ca-10(PO4)6(OH)2, crystals which are composed mainly of calcium and phosphate. Other minerals which might be present are fluoride, magnesium and lead. The organic portion of enamel is made up of water and organic material, with water having a slightly higher percentage, and the organic material divided among amelogenin and enamelin
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Unlike the other two types, Type A lamellae are caused by failure of calcification in a short segment of an enamel rod and is limited to enamel. The other two types of lamellae are tension-caused cracks and are much more threatening than the first type; their threat is represented in two aspects: the first being their weakening effect on enamel surface making it more liable to crack propagation and fracture and the second is that they provide an entry for streptococcus mutans and lactobacilli to initiate caries. (Walker, Makinson and
The structure is a combination of three triptychs in one, which are all enamel. There is the overall triptych, which is Mosan, and then there
In general, root caries have the same etiology as coronal cavities. S. mutans, Lactobacilli, and sometimes, Actinomyces are involved and are found in high numbers in root caries, but there are two main differences between enamel and root surface caries. (Flaitz) These differences cause the lesion on a root surface to be more destructive than that in enamel. First, because the pH at which demineralization will occur is higher for root cementum (approx. pH 6.0) than for enamel (approx. pH 5.0).(Wilkins) Therefore, root cementum has potential for demineralization at an earlier point in time than enamel does. Secondly, once the cementum is demineralized, the dentin contains dentinal tubules which, if present, are potential methods of entry for the pathogenic microbes as mentioned previously, such as S. mutans, Lactobacilli, and sometimes Actinomyces; whereas, enamel consists of tightly-arranged crystal prisms, which have a much lower chance for bacterial entry. The process of caries formation begins with colonization by acid-producing bacteria plaque. In the next step, Gram-positive bacteria invade the dentinal tubules, which leads to the ...
The most recent classification system for periodontal diseases was developed in 1999 and is broken into seven major categories. The only reversible category is the first category. All of the subsequent categories are considered a destructive disease because damage caused by the disease cannot be undone and is permanent. The seven categories, in order, are as follows; (1) Gingivitis, (2) Chronic Periodontitis, (3) Aggressive Periodontitis, (4) Periodontitis as a manifestation of a systemic disease, (5) Necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis/periodontitis, (6) Abscesses of the periodontium, and (7) Combined periodontic-endodontic lesions. These seven categories are used to diagnose specific patients, as well as refer to a group of patients that suffer from one of the above conditions. Periodontitis is considered local if less than thirty percent of the mouth is affected, and generalized if more than thirty percent of the mouth is affected.
The article Poor Teeth was written by Sarah Smarsh with the goal in mind being to shed light on the issue between upper and lower class society in a particularly concrete way. Teeth and dental health are an easy thing for people to imagine in their head because everyone has a set whether they’re white and shiny or black and rotted. This makes it easy to draw a comparison between people that care for their teeth and those who don’t. However, access to dental knowledge and services which the lower class often times doesn’t have is very different between the poor and the rich. While the rich stroll through life showing off their perfect glossy white rows of teeth, there are less privileged people out there with barren mouths whose weak pale gums
In White Teeth, Zadie Smith warns against the dangers of purism and letting cultural background completely shape one’s identity while simultaneously paying tribute to the rich heritage and beliefs of her characters. It is a cautionary tale for immigrants but is never dismissive of their past. Smith is merely advising against tunnel vision and stressing the need to adapt to one’s environment. She shows the beauty that can stem from adaptation while warning that an inability to do so will lead to one’s downfall. London plays an especially important role as the battleground where the past and the present clash; a melting pot with a large immigrant population and inevitable moral struggle.
Dental composites are widely used for crown preparation and in-lays formation. These materials are similar to those used in direct fillings and are tooth-colored. Their strength and durability is not as high as porcelain or metal restorations and they are more
Imagine having to spend half your fortune on correcting your teeth.”Tooth decay was a perennial national problem that meant a mouthful of silver for patients, and for dentists a pocketful of gold.” (Wallis, 17) If patients don’t take care of their teeth, many issues can start to appear later in their life. Some patients are not knowledgeable of the correct procedures toward keeping a healthy smile. In order to keep a healthy smile patients must be better informed about the knowledge to achieve that success and also maintain.
Tooth enamel is a hard mineral substance that covers your teeth. Without this special coating, your teeth will decay and erode. In fact, mineral is found inside your body, especially in your bones. This is the same chemical makeup that you can expect to find in large mammals like whales. If you read on, you’ll find that the main ingredient in mineral is hydroxyapatite, a ceramic biomaterial made of calcium phosphate.
The future of dentistry is the end of the use of amalgam restorations. Amalgam restorations are believed to be the cause of many illnesses for dental professionals. Dental professionals are exposed daily to the harmful chemicals contained in the material that makes up amalgam, including mercury. With the advent of resin restorations and their more popular use, amalgam restorations will be a thing of the past, only read about in dental history books.
The part of the gingiva that is affected in periodontitis is the attached gingiva around the teeth, which consists of gingival epithelial cells (GEC). The gingival epithelium comprise the epithelial tissue that covers the external surface of the gingiva as well as the epithelium lining, the gingival sulcus and the junctional epithelium which act as a physical barrier but also has an important value in immunity (innate) by expressing antimicrobial peptides (3, 4). The non-keratinized sulcular and junctional epithelia are the main barriers that prevent the microbial products from penetrating through the periodontal tissue. But these barriers have their drawback also, i.e. they are the sites where oral microbes attach. The multi-layered epithelia can act as impermeable barrier because of its tight junctions, which can open or close as large molecules and leukocytes pass. These tight junction proteins are mostly transmembrane proteins (11). In case of periodontitis, the epithelial lining is mostly losing the tight junction and easily permeable (12). Oral epithelia are exposed to various pathogenic and non-pathogeni...
Humans only get one set of adult teeth after losing all of their primary teeth therefore, it is important to take care of them. “Dental caries: Strategies to control this preventable disease” is an article written by Rugg-Gunn, Andrew presents several reasons why dental decay is a widespread disease. Rugg-Gunn cites that the main cause of dental decay is lack of fluoride, poor diet, bacteria from plaque, and sugars. Based on this evidence, Rugg-Gunn concludes that “dental caries can be prevented” (Rugg-Gunn128), but there is no evidence of stopping the disease from happening. While Rugg-Gunn raises a revolving problem around the world with human oral decay he however, does not have a good approach on what decay really is.
Although your teeth are also considered part of your skeletal system, they are not counted as bones. Your teeth consist of enamel and dentin. Enamel is the strongest substance in your body. The main priority of the skeletal system is to provide support for the body. Without bones our body would be in a pile of guts and mush on the floor. Your skeleton furthermore assists to protect your internal organs and fragile body tissues. The brain, eyes, heart, lungs and spinal cord are all sheltered by your
Dental plaque is broadly classified as supragingival or subgingival based on its position on the tooth surface toward the gingival margin. Supragingival plaque is found at or above the gingival margin. Therefore, it can be further differentiated into coronal plaque, whi...
For example, when placing composite materials or sealants an etchant has to be placed before the actual restorative material. An etchant is used to partially demineralize enamel rods. This is critical for micromechanical retention of material to adhere to the tooth surface. If these microscopic cavities were to be filled by saliva and debris from contact with the tongue, the material bonding process would fail. The oral cavity is a very hostile environment. In order to achieve maximum function of dental materials, the environment has to be stabilized. In some cases stabilization of the oral cavity involves temporary elimination of those conditions by tooth
Excellent oral health includes keeping teeth healthy and looking their best (Dr.Roma M MDS – Conservative Dentistry & Endodontics KMC Hospital). This can be achieved by following the correct techniques, following a dentist’s orders, and plenty of other important rules (Edwards). Maintaining healthy teeth by following proper oral care comes with benefits for a lifetime such as a healthier mouth and prevention of oral problems.