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Organic structures of developmental origin in human surface enamel
Author(s) -
NYVAD BENTE,
FEJERSKOV OLE,
JOSEPHSEN KAJ
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
european journal of oral sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.802
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1600-0722
pISSN - 0909-8836
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0722.1988.tb01558.x
Subject(s) - enamel paint , dental enamel , dentistry , medicine
– The aim of this study was to examine the distribution of organic material in mature enamel surfaces immediately prior to eruption. Thirty‐six samples of buccal or lingual enamel from unerupted third molars were prepared for transmission electron microscopy by a method involving demineralization of the enamel after embedding in Epon. The results showed that at time of eruption human surface enamel is a highly porous structure containing large amounts of developmental protein which appear as a variety of triangular, funnel‐shaped, or invaginated configurations extending into the enamel. The implications of this finding may be of importance to the understanding of early caries lesion formation in the enamel since organic structures may modify the diffusion of ions in and out of the tissue.