Biomaterial Database

The mineral content of human enamel studied by polarizing microscopy, microradiography and scanning electron microscopy. 1983

H M Theuns, and J W van Dijk, and W L Jongebloed, and A Groeneveld

The total observed birefringence and mineral content of the outer 300 micron of longitudinal sections of sound buccal premolar enamel were measured and three-dimensional contour maps were made. Using similar contour maps of calcium, carbonate and magnesium content from the literature, it seemed possible to explain the differences between the contour maps of total observed birefringence and mineral content. Scanning electron micrographs provided information about the orientation of the prisms. The cervical part of the enamel had a high intrinsic birefringence which may explain the difference between mineral content and total observed birefringence. This high intrinsic birefringence may be caused by a high carbonate content in cervical enamel.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008852	Microradiography	Production of a radiographic image of a small or very thin object on fine-grained photographic film under conditions which permit subsequent microscopic examination or enlargement of the radiograph at linear magnifications of up to several hundred and with a resolution approaching the resolving power of the photographic emulsion (about 1000 lines per millimeter).	Microradiographies
D008855	Microscopy, Electron, Scanning	Microscopy in which the object is examined directly by an electron beam scanning the specimen point-by-point. The image is constructed by detecting the products of specimen interactions that are projected above the plane of the sample, such as backscattered electrons. Although SCANNING TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY also scans the specimen point by point with the electron beam, the image is constructed by detecting the electrons, or their interaction products that are transmitted through the sample plane, so that is a form of TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY.	Scanning Electron Microscopy,Electron Scanning Microscopy,Electron Microscopies, Scanning,Electron Microscopy, Scanning,Electron Scanning Microscopies,Microscopies, Electron Scanning,Microscopies, Scanning Electron,Microscopy, Electron Scanning,Microscopy, Scanning Electron,Scanning Electron Microscopies,Scanning Microscopies, Electron,Scanning Microscopy, Electron
D008859	Microscopy, Polarization	Microscopy using polarized light in which phenomena due to the preferential orientation of optical properties with respect to the vibration plane of the polarized light are made visible and correlated parameters are made measurable.	Microscopy, Polarized Light,Polarization Microscopy,Light Microscopies, Polarized,Light Microscopy, Polarized,Microscopies, Polarization,Microscopies, Polarized Light,Polarization Microscopies,Polarized Light Microscopies,Polarized Light Microscopy
D008903	Minerals	Native, inorganic or fossilized organic substances having a definite chemical composition and formed by inorganic reactions. They may occur as individual crystals or may be disseminated in some other mineral or rock. (Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed; McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)	Mineral
D003743	Dental Enamel	A hard thin translucent layer of calcified substance which envelops and protects the dentin of the crown of the tooth. It is the hardest substance in the body and is almost entirely composed of calcium salts. Under the microscope, it is composed of thin rods (enamel prisms) held together by cementing substance, and surrounded by an enamel sheath. (From Jablonski, Dictionary of Dentistry, 1992, p286)	Enamel,Enamel Cuticle,Dental Enamels,Enamel, Dental,Enamels, Dental,Cuticle, Enamel,Cuticles, Enamel,Enamel Cuticles,Enamels
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001641	Bicuspid	One of the eight permanent teeth, two on either side in each jaw, between the canines (CUSPID) and the molars (MOLAR), serving for grinding and crushing food. The upper have two cusps (bicuspid) but the lower have one to three. (Jablonski, Dictionary of Dentistry, 1992, p822)	Premolar,Bicuspids,Premolars