Enamel

Mineralised tissue of ectodermal origin

covering anatomic crowns of human teeth

Enamel: A Special Tissue

Ameloblasts, the enamel forming cells are ectodermal.
Enamel formation takes place only for a short period of
time.
Enamel is not lined by its formative cells.
Does not have the capacity to repair or regenerate.
Is a nonliving tissue. Does not contain cells or cellular
components.
Is avascular and insensitive.
Organic matrix of enamel is unique composed of enamel
proteins and is non-collagenous.

Physical Characteristics
Chemical Characteristics
Structure
Age Changes
Clinical Considerations

 Thickness:

Variable thickness. Maximum thickness of 2-2.5mm

over cusps of molars & PM. Knife edge thin at cervical
margins.

Strength & Hardness:

Hardest calcified tissue in body: 343 KHN. Sp gravity

of 2.8.
Hardness decreases from surface to deeper regions
and from cuspal to cervical region.
Brittle in nature and therefore resilient dentin support
is very essential

 Permeability:
Will allow complete or partial passage of certain
molecules.
Acts like a semi-permeable membrane.

Color & Translucency:

Color of enamel covered crown ranges from Yellowish
white to Grayish white.
Color determined by translucency of enamel.
Yellowish teeth- thin, translucent enamel allowing
yellow color of dentin to show through.
Grayish teeth- more thick and opaque enamel.

 Refractive Index:
Birefrengent
RI - 1.62

Solubility:
Enamel is soluble in acids.
Surface enamel is less soluble.

 Constitution:

Inorganic matter- 96%

Organic matter and Water- 4%

Organic Matter:

Enamel proteins and Lipids

Amelogenins (90%); Non amelogenins (10%)

 Inorganic Matter:

Calcium and phosphate [2:1] in the form of

hydroxyapatite crystals.
Other components include strontium, magnesium,
lead and fluoride.

Hydroxyapatite crystal:

Rod shaped with equilateral hexagonal base.

HA crystals are arranged to form ENAMEL
RODS- Primary structural component of Enamel.
Length -160 nm -1000nm
Breadth - 40nm
Thickness - 25 -60 nm
Largest Hydroxyapatite crystals in the body

Enamel Rods and Ultrastructure

Structural Lines
Hypocalcified structures
Surface structures
Other structures
DEJ

Methods used to study enamel

Ground section: Unlike other hard tissues
decalcified sections cannot be used to study
enamel
Light microscope or polarized microscope can be
used.
Electron microscope may also be used to study
the ultra structure.

Enamel Rods

 Are the fundamental structural unit of enamel.

Each rod extends from its site of origin at the
dentino-enamel junction (DEJ) to the outer surface
of enamel.
The rods are roughly cylindrical in the longitudinal
section.
Average diameter of 3-4 microns near DEJ;
diameter increases gradually to the surface at a ratio
of 1:2.
Number of rods varies from 5 million in lower
incisors to 12 million in upper 1st molars

Direction of Rods
From DEJ - wavy tortuous course towards outer surface
of tooth.
Cuspal & incisal edges - rods run perpendicular from
DEJ to outer surface.
On lateral surfaces - rods run obliquely from DEJ to
outer surface.
In dev pits & fissure on occlusal aspect - rods converge in
their outward course.
Rods are never straight because of oblique direction and
wavy course.
Rods in cuspal region longer than those in cervical.

Structure of Rods
Clear crystalline appearance permitting light to
pass.
Rod proper (Core), Rod sheath, Interrod enamel.
Shape:
Under light microscope hexagonal sometimes
round or oval fish scale appearance
In electron microscope key whole pattern or
paddle shape

 In transverse section, the enamel rods have a

keyhole shape with a head formed by the rod and
a tail formed by interrod enamel immediately
cervical to it.
Rod - head
tail
Tail fits into area created by convexities of
adjacent rounded head.
Head directed towards incisal edge or cusp tip

 Dimensions:
Total length 9
Diameter at DEJ - 4 ; Outer surface - 6-8
From DEJ - outer surface diameter of enamel
rods increase in the ratio 1:2

 Orientation of Apatite crystals in Rods:

Apatite crystals in Head region - parallel to long
axis of rod
In Tail region - 65 deviation as they fan out into
tails of prism.

 Rodless Enamel: (Structureless Surface

Enamel)

Outermost 30 or 50 of all primary teeth

Gingival 3rd of enamel of permanent teeth
No rod outlines are visible.
Apatite crystals are perpendicular to surface of
enamel.
More heavily mineralized than rest of the
enamel.

Structural Lines
Cross striations
Incremental Lines
Neonatal Line

Cross Striations
Rods are built up of segments separated by dark
lines. These dark lines are called cross striations.
Cross striations indicate diurnal or circadian
variation in secretory activity of ameloblasts.
In humans, enamel forms at a rate of 4 m/day.
So cross striations are also seen at uniform
length of 4m.

4m

Outer
Surface

DEJ

Cross Striation

Incremental Lines
Incremental growth lines. In enamel, these
growth lines are known as Incremental Lines
of Retzius or Striae of Retzius.
Brownish bands in ground section of enamel.
Illustrate incremental pattern of enamel
formation

 In longitudinal section:
series of dark bands reflecting successive enamel
forming fronts.
Start at DEJ and run obliquely outward.
Reach surface of enamel at buccal & lingual surfaces of
teeth but not in region of cusps & incisal edges.

In Cross section:
seen as concentric rings.

Reflect variation in structure & mineralisation of

enamel.
Accentuated incremental lines are produced by
systemic disturbances.

Neonatal Line
Enamel of deciduous teeth develops partly before &
party after birth.
Boundary between 2 portions demarcated by
accentuated incremental line.
Accentuated incremental line separating prenatal from
post natal enamel is called the Neonatal Line

 Prenatal enamel formation is smooth bcos it

takes place in a protected environment with
uninterrupted nutrient supply.
At birth there is a sudden change in environment
and nutrient supply resulting in reduced or
limited enamel formation for that period of time.
Neonatal line seen in all deciduous teeth and
permanent 1st Molars.

Hypocalcified structures

Enamel Tuft
Lamellae
Spindles
Retzius lines
Neonatal line

Enamel Tufts
Geological faults consisting of hypocalcified enamel rods
& inter prismatic substance.
Narrow ribbon like structures arising at DEJ and
extending upto 1/5th to 1/3rd thickness of enamel.
Resemble tufts of grass in ground section.
Better appreciated in cross sections. Parallel to long axis
of crown of tooth.
Abrupt change in the direction of group of rods that arise
from different regions of scalloped DEJ.

Enamel Lamellae
Leaf like structures that extend from enamel
surface towards DEJ that may develop in planes
of tension.
Best seen in Transverse sections.
May extend to or penetrate into dentin.
Consist of organic material.

 Type A:
composed of poorly calcified rod segments.
Restricted to enamel.

Type B:
Consist of degenerated cells

Type C:
Arise in erupted teeth where cracks are filled with
organic material originating from saliva

Type B & C reach into dentin

 Primary Lamellae
In unerupted teeth.
Consists of unmineralised enamel matrix due to
shrinkage of enamel during final stages of
amelogenesis.
Small cracks formed are filled with enamel protein

Secondary Lamellae
Found in enamel in post eruptive phase.
Appearance similar to primary lamellae but
formed as a result of occlusal trauma.
Filled with organic debris from oral cavity.

Enamel Spindles
Dentinal tubules/odontoblast processes found within
enamel.
Dark club shaped structures which project into enamel
for varying distance perpendicular to DEJ
Arises when single odontoblast process invades
preameloblast layer at commencement of
dentinogenesis.
May be empty or filled by organic material extracellular
fluids or debris.
Significance sudden sensitivity experienced during
cavity cutting. Act as pain transmitters.

Surface Structures

Rodless enamel
Perikymata
Nasmyths membrane
Rod ends
Enamel caps and brochs
Afibrillar Cementum
Enamel Lamellae & Cracks

Perikymata
Transverse wave like grooves believed to be
external manifestations of striae of Retzius.
Continuous around tooth parallel to each other
& CEJ.
30/mm in cervical region; 10/mm in incisal
edge.
Run regular in course but can be irregular in
cervical region.

Nasmyths membrane
Primary enamel cuticle.
Delicate membrane covering crown of newly
erupted teeth.
Basal lamina secreted by ameloblasts after
crown formation is complete.
Pellicle: Covering on newly erupted tooth
composed of salivary proteins.

Rod ends, Enamel caps & Brochs

Surface of enamel is uneven.
Rod ends: shallow concave depressions on the surface.
Pits: small depressions representing ends of
ameloblasts.
Enamel caps: Small elevations due to enamel
deposition on surface debris.
Larger Enamel elevations: Enamel brochs.

Afibrillar Cementum
Cementum deposited on the surface of enamel
due to break in REE.
Seen on enamel close to the CEJ.

Other Structures
Gnarled Enamel
Hunter-Schreger Bands

Gnarled Enamel
In cuspal region: enamel rods get closer to each other &
start interwining creating a complicated pattern of
enamel.
Close to the DEJ the rods appear irregular & twisted.
This creates an optical phenomenon of enamel rods
called Gnarled Enamel.
Seen mainly in oblique sections.

Hunter-Schreger Bands
Alternating dark & light bands of varying width
seen in longitudinal section under oblique
reflected or polarized light.
Due to change in direction of adjacent groups of
rods.
Dark zones Diazones
Light zones Para zones

 Diazones rods sectioned in c/s so light passes

through it.
Parazones rods sectioned longitudinally so
light falls on the surface & is reflected.

DEJ

 Junction between enamel & dentin.

Pitted or scalloped line with convex side facing
dentin.
Into depressions or concavities of dentin
convexities or rounded projections of enamel fit.