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Dr Riaz Abdulla
L Professor
Dept. of Oral Pathology
ENAMEL-Physical properties

 Hardest tissue in the human body

 Extremely hard ( 343 KHN) and brittle
 Colour ranges from yellowish white to
greyish white
 Translucency related to degree of
calcification
 Has permeability
 Does not repair or regenerate
 Ameloblasts ( cells of Enamel) are
Ectodermal in origin
 Thickness
 Refractive index- 1.62
 Specific gravity 2.8
 Soluble in acids
ENAMEL- Chemical composition

 Inorganic –
96% carbanoapatite crystals
(hydroxyapatite substituted with carbonate
ions

 Organic -4%-Non collagenous protiens

Enamel proteins
Low mol wt amelogenins (90%)-
(TRAP)

Non amelogenins(10%)-
enamelin,ameloblastin,tuftelin
ENAMEL-Structure

ENAMEL

Enamel rods Rod sheath Interrod substance

ENAMEL ROD

 Fundamental organizational unit

 Roughly cylindrical in shape with
a body(head) and a tail
 Average diameter is 4 micron
Under the light microscope enamel is
composed of roughly cylindrical enamel rods
embedded in interrod enamel
Light microscopy

 Enamel rods are hexagonal/round/oval in

cross section

 Appearance of enamel rods surrounded

by rod sheath and separated by inter rod
substance is the common pattern often
referred to as keyhole shaped enamel
prisms
Under the light microscope enamel is composed
of roughly cylindrical rods embedded in
interrod enamel
Enamel-Submicroscopic structure

 Structure of enamel rod is beyond the

resolution limit of the light microscope
 Enamel rods are composed of closely
packed and long ribbon like hydroxyapatite
crystals 600-1000 A long and 250 A thick.
 The roughly cylindrical shaped enamel rods
are made up of crystals that run parallel to
the long axis in the central part.
 Crystals away from the central axis of the
rod flare laterally
 Inter rod region

 Surrounds each rod

 Crystals oriented in a different
direction except in the interrod region
located directly cervical to a particular
rod
 Rod sheath

 Narrow space
/boundary between
rod and interrod
enamel and
containing organic
material
 Rod sheath is the
boundary where
crystals of rod meet
those of interrod
region at sharp
angles
 Direction of enamel rods

 At right angles to dentin surface/DEJ

 Horizontal in cervical and central part of deciduous

teeth

 Apically directed in cervical portion of permanent teeth

 Enamel rods at pit and fissure region of occlusal

surface of premolars and molars converge in their
outer course (lateral flaring towards DEJ)
Enamel stuctures due to optical phenomenon

•GNARLED ENAMEL
•HUNTER SCHREGER BANDS
Gnarled Enamel
 Enamel rods at the region of
cusps/incisal edges seem to intertwine
irregularly
 The interwining and twisting of enamel
rods gives rise to a special optical
appearance called gnarled enamel
Gnarled enamel
GNARLED ENAMEL

 Twisting / Undulation / Overlapping

of enamel rods.

 Cuspal & Incisal

 Optical
 Importance Twisting of rods

Increases strength

Resist the load

•Reason:- Ameloblast retreat in a very

irregular course initially
Hunter Schreger bands
 Alternating light and dark bands seen in
longitudinal sections under oblique
reflected light
 Optical phenomenon caused by total
internal reflection
 Variations in calcification,organic content
permeability etc accounts for it
Dark zones - Diazone
Light zones Parazone
 Hypocalcified structures

•Incremental lines (Striae) of Retzius

•Enamel spindle
•Enamel tufts
•Enamel lamellae
Striae of Retzius
 Brownish bands in ground sections
of enamel
 Incremental pattern of formation
 Seen at right angles to enamel
rods
•Appositional process
•Alternating periods of
growth & rests

•2 Types

1.Major- Incremental lines

of Retzius
2.Minor - Cross striations
 Cross striations

•Irregular lines crossing at regular

intervals over enamel rods
•Perpendicular to long axis of the rod
•Daily increments
•4 μ apart (secretion of 1 day)
Striae of Retzius

•Major
•Striae – “ THICK”
•Irregularly spaced
•Dark brown
•Oblique
•From DEJ to outer surface
 20-80 μ m apart
 Width – 4-15 μ
 Deposition 7-14 days
 Distance b/w lines
 More – Occlusal / Incisal
 Less - Cervical
 Hypo calcified areas
 Prominent – Permanent teeth
Reasons ????

 Difference in Mineralization
 Change in rod direction
 Change in crystal orientation
 Defective enamel matrix
production
Types of striae

1.Complete
2.Incomplete

Complete striae-
 Does not reach the surface
 Encircle the dentin tip
 Cuspal & Incisal
 Cross section- Concentric circles
Incomplete striae-
 Reach the surface
 Results in Perikymata
 Cross striations Daily variation
(Circadian rythm)

 •Striae of retzius Weekly rythm

Perikymata

 Transverse Wave like grooves

 External manifestation of Striae of
retzius
 Newly erupted teeth
 Disappears - AGE
Ultra structure
Neonatal line
 Accentuated incremental line
demarcating postnatal enamel from
prenatal
 Found in all decidious teeth and
permanent 1st molar
NEO NATAL LINE
 •Accentuated ILR
 •Demarcates Pre & Post natal enamel
 •Abrupt change in the environment &
nutrition
 Pre-natal - Towards Dentine
 Post natal -Towards Outer surface
 Hypocalcified structures

•Incremental lines (Striae) of Retzius

Enamel lamellae
•Enamel tufts
• Enamel spindle
Enamel Lamellae
ENAMEL LAMELLAE

 Thin leaf like

structures
extending from
enamel surface
towards DEJ
 Consists of
organic material
 Develop in
planes of
tension,rod
segments
crossing these
planes may not
fully calcify
Type A Lamellae:
poorly calcified rod segments
Type B Lamellae
severe disturbance in calcification
cracks may develop and is filled by surrounding cells
(unerupted teeth)
Type C Lamellae
lamellae arising in erupted teeth and cracks get filled
with organic matter(salivary origin)
 ENAMEL TUFTS
 From DEJ to enamel surface
 Hypocalcified enamel rods and
interprismatic substance
 Resembles a tuft of grass
 Seen in transverse ground sections
 Enamel Spindles
 Odontoblastic
processes extending
into enamel before hard tissue
formation
 Enamel Spindle

 Odonto blastic Process

 DEJ
 Entrapped
 Thickened end - Bulbous
 Receptor for sensitivity??
Dentino Enamel Junction

 Scalloped outline with convexities directed

towards dentin
 Outline of basal lamina separating dental
papilla from ameloblasts is retained even
after mineralization
Surface structures in enamel

1.Aprismatic enamel
2.Perikymata / Imbrication line of
pickerill
3.Enamel lamellae
4.Cracks
5.Pits and fissures
6.Enamel cuticle
7.Pellicle - Salivary proteins
ENAMEL CUTICLE
(PRIMARY ENAMEL CUTICLE)

 Membrane resembling basal lamina

that covers crown of erupted tooth
 Secreted by ameloblasts after
completion of enamel formation
 Remnants of PEC after eruption is
known as Nasmyth’s membrane
AGE CHANGES

1.Loss of tooth structure- no

regeneration
2.Loss of perikymata- smooth surface
3.Color- darker, transluscency
4.Permeability- decreases
5.Wearing
6.Composition
flouride content -flourapatite
decreased water content
Clinical Significance

•Cavity Preparation
•Caries
•Acid etching
•Gnarled enamel
•Lamellae
•Topical FL
•Remineralization
Fracture
thankyou