HISTOLOGY

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ENAMELRODSORPRISMS
Number: 5 12 millions.
Direction: Run in oblique direction and wavy course.
Length: greater than the thickness of E.
Diameter average: 4 m.
Appearance: Have a clear crystalline appearance.
Cross-section: hexagonal, round, oval, or fish scales.

SUBMICROSCOPIC STRUCTURE OF
ENAMEL RODS
Keyhole or paddle-shaped.
Separated by interrod substance.
About 5 m in breadth and 9 m in length.
The bodies are near the occlusal or incisal
surface.
The tails point cervically.
The crystals; parallel to the long axis of the
prism heads.
Deviate about 65 from the tails.
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ENAMELCRYSTAL
Crystals length: 0.05 1 m.
Thickness: about 300 A.
Average width: about 900 A.
LONGITUDINAL SECTION
SECTION

TRANSVERSE

THERODSHEATH
A thin peripheral layer.
Darker than the rod.
Relatively acid-resistant.
Less calcified and contains more
organic matter than the rod itself.

INTERPRISMATICSUBSTANCE

Cementing Enamel rods together.

More calcified than the rod sheath.
Less calcified than the rod itself.
Appears to be minimum in human
teeth.

STRIATIONS
Enamelrodisbuiltupofsegments(dark
lines).
Representrhythmicmannerofenamelmatrix
formation.
Segmentlength:about4m.

DIRECTIONOFRODS
Rodsareorientedatrightanglesto
thedentinsurface
Followawavycoursefromthe
dentintotheenamelsurface

Rod
direction

Deciduous
teeth

Permanent
teeth

In cervical

Horizontal

Apical
direction

Central part

Horizontal &
increasingly
oblique

Horizontal &
increasingly
oblique

Incisal edge
or
Cusp tip

Vertical

vertical
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HUNTERSCHREGERBANDS
Opticalphenomenonproducedbychangeindirectionofenamel
rods
Alternatingdarkandlightstripsofvaryinglength
Bestseeninlongitudinalgroundsectionsunderoblique
reflectedlight
Darkparazones
Lightdiazones
Significance
Functionaladaptationminimizingtheriskof
cleavageinaxialdirectionundermasticatory
force
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INCREMENTALLINESOFRETZIUS

Brownishbandsingroundsections.
Reflectvariationinstructureandmineralization.
Broadeningoftheselinesoccurinmetabolicdisturbances.
Etiology
1.

PeriodicbendingofE.rods.

2.

Variationinorganicstructure.

3.

Physiologiccalcificationrhythm.

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NEONATALLINE
Theenamelofthedeciduousteethandthe1stpermanentmolar
developpartlybeforebirthandpartlyafterbirth,theboundary
betweenbothismarkedbyneonatallineorring.
Etiology
Duetosuddenchangeintheenvironmentandnutrition.
Theantenatalenamelisbettercalcifiedthanthepostnatalenamel

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PRISMLESS ENAMEL
About 30 m thick.
In 70% permanent teeth and all deciduous teeth.
Found least often over the cusp tips.
Found commonly in the cervical areas.
No enamel prisms.
All the apatite crystals area parallel to one another and
perpendicular to the striae of Retzius.
More mineralized than the bulk of
enamel beneath it.
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PERIKYMATA

Externalmanifestationsofstriaeofretzius
Continuousaroundatooth
Paralleltoeachother
30/mminCEJanddecreasesto10/mminocclusaledge

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SURFACESTRUCTURES.
Rodends

Cracks

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NASMYTHSMEMBRANE(PRIMARY
ENAMELCUTICLE)
Covers the entire crown of newly erupted
tooth.
Thickness: 0.2 m.
Removed by mastication
Secreted by ameloblasts after enamel
formation.
EM: similar to basal lamina.
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PELLICLE
Precipitateofsalivaryproteins
Organicdeposit

Significance
Becomescolonizedbymicrobestofromabacterial
plaque
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DENTINOENAMELJUNCTION

Interfaceofenamelanddentin
Scallopedorwavyoutline
Convexitiestowardsdentin
Thisinterdigitationcontributetofirmattachment
Hypermineralizedzoneabout30mthick

Significance
Preventsshearingofenamelduringfunction
DepthofcavityshouldliebeyondDEJin
dentin
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ENAMELSPINDLES
Beforeenamelformssomedeveloping
odontoblastprocessesextendintothe
ameloblastlayerandgettrapped
Hypomineralizedstructure

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ENAMELTUFTS
Hypomineralizedstructuresofrodandinterrod
substance
ExtendsfromDEJinto1/5thto1/3rdofenamel
thickness

Significance
Roleinspreadofdentalcaries
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ENAMELLAMELLA

Thinleaflikefaultsbetweenenamelrods
ExtendsfromsurfacetoDEJ
Consistsoforganicmaterial
TypeApoorlycalcifiedrodsegments
TypeBconsistsofdegeneratedcells
TypeCfilledwithorganicmatterderivedfromsaliva

Significance
Portalofentryforbacteria

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GNARLEDENAMEL
Backandforthundulationinverticallydirectedrods
overthecusptips

Significance
Strongandmoreresistancetofracture
Doesnotyieldreadilytohandcuttinginstruments
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FISSURESANDGROOVES
Soundcoalescenceoflobesgrooves
Faultycoalescenceoflobesfissures

Significance
Groovesescapepathforthemovementof
food
Fissuresfoodandbacterialtrap
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