Dentin nanostructures - a super-natural phenomenon

Discussion in 'General Science & Technology' started by Plazma Inferno!, Jun 6, 2016.

  1. Plazma Inferno! Ding Ding Ding Ding Administrator

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    In humans, teeth come into contact almost 5,000 times per day under normal use. In spite of this, and although we often use large forces during mastication, it is surprisingly rare for healthy teeth to break. It is widely accepted that the design of teeth makes teeth tough, where an inner core, known as dentin, supports the outer hard enamel cap. The secret to the marked toughness lies in the structural details. Dentin is a bone-like substance, which is composed of mineral nanoparticles, collagen and water. While both enamel and dentine are composed of the same mineral called carbonated hydroxyapatite (cHAP), dentin represents a complex nanocomposite material. It consists of inorganic cHAP nanoparticles embedded in an organic matrix of collagen protein fibers. A group of researchers from Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin were able to show that the reason for why dentin is one of the most durable biological materials in the human body can be traced to its nanostructures and specifically to the interactions between the organic and inorganic components. Measurements performed at BESSYII, the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin's synchrotron radiation source, showed that it is the mechanical coupling between the collagen protein fibers and mineral nanoparticles which renders dentin capable of withstanding extreme forces.

    http://phys.org/news/2016-06-dentin-nanostructuresa-super-natural-phenomenon.html
     
    Edont Knoff likes this.

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