Study on the Crystal Structure of Dentine in Man and other Mammals

Abstract

IntroductoryThe present study has been undertaken with the specific purpose of looking into the extremely minute structure of teeth in man and other mammals. The crystallographical investigations on the hard tissues of teeth with polarizing microscope and X-ray diffraction method have been done up to date, but so far no inquiry into the internal structure of dentine by means of electron diffraction method has been reported .The authors have obtained a few interesting findings, asa result of their observations of the diffraction images in restricted field withelectron microscope, on the identification of inorganic matters, their crystal systems, crystal habits, distances of crystal lattice and those of crystal faces in dentines collected from man and other mammals . Materials and Methods 1.Materials:By way of materials, there were employed three human bodies, three dogs, one horseand one pig, whose upper and lower left first molars being used for sample treatment. 2.Methods:Dentine substances of the root of the sample teeth were ground into powder with the use of diamond points and the powder was further processed in the agate mortarto obtain very minute particled powder. A little quantity of the minute particled sample thus prepared was mixed with linseed oil and it was further kneaded betweentwo object glasses so as tobring about uniformity and reduction of density in it.Part of this mixture was transfered onto a collodion sustention membrane and then immersed in benzene for the removal of linseed oil. Having gone through these processes , materials were subjected to electron microscopy and photographs of the diffraction images in restricted field were taken. Findings and ConsiderationsAll of the diffraction images in restricted field of man, dog, horse and pig dentines are always found to be N-pattern (Plates 1-8) and nodifferences have beennoticed among the previously mentioned materials concerning the crystal systems , crystal habits, distances