Chicago Cosmetic Dentist

The enamel on a person’s teeth is the hardest and most highly mineralized substance of his or her body. Enamel, with dentin, cementum, and pulp, is one of the four key tissues that make up the composition of the tooth.

Typically, enamel is the visible dental tissue of a tooth. In order for the tooth to be healthy, it must be supported by the underlying dentin. 96% of enamel is made up of minerals. The other 4% is comprised of water and organic materials.

Enamel is typically light yellow to grayish white in color. Where there is no dentin beneath the enamel, typically at the edges of the tooth, the enamel can have a slightly blue tone. Because enamel is translucent, the color of dentin and any restorative dental material underneath the enamel strongly affect the appearance of a tooth.  In addition to variations in color, enamel varies in thickness. Enamel is thickest at the cusp of a tooth, where it is frequently 2.5 mm thick. The thinnest point is at the border of the tooth.

Like dentin, the primary composition material of enamel is hydroxylapatite. This is a crystalline calcium phosphate mineral. The large amount of minerals in enamel account for its strength and also its brittleness. Enamel is the hardest substance in the human body. On Mohs hardness scale, enamel garners a 5 ranking. Dentin, which is less mineralized and less brittle, has a 3-4 in hardness. This material is necessary as support for the enamel.

For more information on the composition of your teeth or to learn about processes to whiten your smile, please contact Chicago cosmetic dentist Dr. Sumeet Bagai at 773-767-1554.