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In the Tooth

Analysing tooth enamel's crystal structure reveals why it's so tough

09 November 2019

In the Tooth

Our tooth enamel survives a lifetime of gnashing and nibbling – its secret may lie in this scan of its microscopic crystal pattern. In this human enamel, we see decussation bands – stripes where bundles of crystals known as rods (blue), meet and cross each other. The rod bundles may look a little chaotic, running downwards (on the left), outwards (in the middle) or at an angle (on the right). But using these scans to build computer models of human enamel, researchers found that differences in the direction, or orientation, help our enamel stay tough – a crack might run deeper in aligned crystals, like a split down a seam of rock, while a little randomness protects against damage – insight that may one day influence the design of dental implants.

Written by John Ankers

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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