Mapping the mechanical gradient of human dentin-enamel-junction at different intratooth locations

As one of the most durable biocomposites found in nature, teeth have become a type of representative biomechanical complex that have been studied extensively in the past decades [1 –3]. The remarkable damage resistance and structural integrity of the tooth crown have been primarily ascribed to its unique bilayer structure composed of the hard, wear-resistant, and highly-mineralized cover-layer enamel and the softer, tough, and less-mineralized core-layer dentin [4,5]. These two layers exhibiting dissimilar mechanical properties for dissimilar functionalities are delicately united by the so-called dentin-enamel-junction (DEJ) interphase layer [6].

Source: Dental Materials - November 11, 2017 Category: Materials Science Authors: Zhengzhi Wang, Kun Wang, Wanyin Xu, Xiaoyu Gong, Feiyu Zhang Source Type: research