Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 30, 2026

Micro-dissection of Enamel Organ from Mandibular Incisor of Rats Exposed to Environmental Toxicants
Published on: March 29, 2018
Association between dental enamel opacities and dental caries in a north Wales population
1WHO Collaborating Centre for Oral Health Services Research, Dental School and Hospital, Cork, Ireland.
Abstract:
This study examined the association between enamel opacities and dental caries in a population from North Wales with low levels of fluoride in the drinking water. Those subjects with only diffuse (n = 317) types of opacity had a mean DMFS of 1.6 (+/- 3.4) compared with those having only demarcated (n = 1,408) opacities of 3.4 (+/- 4.3). The group with both (n = 317) types of defect present had a DMFS of 2.4 (+/- 3.7) and the group with no defects (n = 1,496) had a DMFS of 2.7 (+/- 3.8). These differences were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Possible reasons for these differences are discussed.
Related Concept Videos
Teeth
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin and...
Tooth Anatomy
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or grinding food.

