Enamel is the hard, translucent outer layer that covers the crown of every tooth. It is about 96 percent mineral by weight, mainly hydroxyapatite crystals packed into rods (prisms), which makes it the hardest substance in the body. It is laid down by cells called ameloblasts, which are lost once the tooth erupts.
| Location | Outer layer of the anatomical crown of each tooth, ending at the cementoenamel junction |
|---|---|
| Parts |
|
| Nerve Supply | None (enamel has no nerves or blood vessels) |
Provides a hard, wear-resistant cutting and grinding surface and protects the softer, sensitive dentin beneath.
Because the cells that make enamel are gone after eruption, lost enamel cannot regrow; it can only be remineralised at an early stage or replaced with a restoration. Fluoride makes enamel more resistant to acid, while too much fluoride during tooth development causes fluorosis mottling. Repeated acid exposure from diet, reflux or vomiting in bulimia causes erosion, often on the palatal surfaces of the upper teeth.
Chemical loss of enamel from acids in drinks, reflux or vomiting, leaving smooth, worn, sensitive surfaces.
Thin or pitted enamel from disturbed formation, caused by childhood illness, trauma to a baby tooth or inherited amelogenesis imperfecta.
White flecks, streaks or brown mottling of enamel from excess fluoride intake while the teeth are forming.
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