High resolution electron microscopy of a small crack at the superficial layer of enamel.
A small enamel crack was investigated using a high resolution electron microscope. The inside of the crack was filled with aggregates of irregularly oriented plate-like crystals. Amorphous mineral deposits were observed among these aggregates at a low magnification. Selected area electron diffractions indicated that the plate-like crystals consisted of hydroxyapatite (OH-AP), and that the amorphous mineral deposits were a mixture of OH-AP and whitlockite. These findings indicate that this crack may have been formed by occlusal and/or masticatory stress, and that a natural occlusion might occur through mineral deposition at the small crack such as in this case.
Hayashi
Y
Y
Department of Conservative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006801:Humans; D006882:Hydroxyapatites; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods
D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D006882:Hydroxyapatites; C021767:whitlockite