Year: 2013
Type: article
Abstract: Tooth decay, also known as dental caries, is the most frequent infectious disease in humans.With billions of dollars being spent on dental services in the US alone, there is no question that a significant demand exists for improved dental treatments.Tooth enamel is composed of layers of woven 3-5μm diameter rods, each comprised of thousands of hydroxyapatite nanowires.However, despite decades of research on enamel, the complex nanoscale structure and chemistry of the tissue is still not fully understood, in particular the nature of the intercrystalline space.The disordered material at the grain boundaries has a significant influence on the final properties of the composite.A more complete understanding of the interphase structure and chemistry is a fundamental milestone for preventing and effectively treating dental caries.
Source: Microscopy and Microanalysis
Authors: L. Gordon, M.J. Cohen, D. Joester
Institution: Northwestern University
Language: English
Subfield: Surfaces, Coatings and Films
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2538033243