Chicago Family Dentist
Human teeth are made up of a number of materials that give them their strength, luster, and shine. Dentin is one of these materials. It is a calcified tissue of the body. Along with enamel, cementum, and pulp, it is one of the four main components of teeth. Typically, dentin is covered by enamel on the crown of the tooth and cementum on the root. It surrounds the entire pulp of the teeth.
70% of the weight of dentin is due to the mineral hydroxylapatite; 20% is organic material (meaning it contains carbon); and 10% is water. Dentin naturally has a yellow appearance. Because of the translucency of the enamel, dentin has a great effect on the color of the tooth. Dentin is necessary for the support of enamel. One big difference between enamel and dentin is that dentin is less mineralized and therefore less brittle.
The structure of dentin is intricate. It consists of microscopic channels, called dentinal tubules, which radiate outward from the pulp, through the dentin, to the exterior cementum or enamel border. These tubes contain fluid and cellular structures. They give dentin a high degree of permeability, which increases the sensation of pain as well as the rate of tooth decay.
There are different types of dentin, distinguished by their appearance and the stage of development. Primary dentin forms the majority of the tooth. Secondary dentin is produced after root formation is complete and takes much longer to form than primary dentin. Tertiary dentin forms only after something has stimulated the teeth.
To learn more about the structure of your teeth or to have them cleaned, contact Chicago family dentist Dr. Sumeet Bagai at 773-767-1554.