Teeth & Enamel

[sd8974]

Now, this may be a stupid question, but I'd like to know whether it's at all valid to compare teeth and enamel with bones and/or nails...

Can teeth and enamel not re-form themselves - if not, why not, when bones are continually replenished and recycled over time? Are teeth not a kind of bone?

Thanks in advance for any answers!

[Marty J]

This should answer your questions:

http://www.hhmi.org/bulletin/august2006/pdf/AskAScientist.pdf

[Toothsmith]

This should answer your questions:

http://www.hhmi.org/bulletin/august2006/pdf/AskAScientist.pdf


That's a pretty good explanation.

Rodents have continually growing teeth. In fact, if they don't get an abrasive enough diet, the teeth start growing through the opposing jaw!

But humans just get what we have.

Teeth can remineralise - decayed bits can harden up again - through the calcium and phosphate ions in salive and some toothpastes. But lost tooth structure cannot regrow. The cells that do it just aren't present.

BTW - enamel is very different to bone - it's much harder. The dentine layer is a bit more bone-like in terms of strength, but it's structure is quite different.

The nearest thing to bone is a material called cementum, which is a thin layer that coats the root, and the membrane that holds in the tooth attaches to.

[point3]

Any acid-resistant dental fillings available? I've lost 4 out of 8 fillings done just 3 months ago for acid erosion; 1st one fell out after 1 week and was re-done, the next at 2 weeks, the 3rd at 2 months and now a 4th has gone!

[Toothsmith]

All fillings are acid - resistant. It's your teeth that aren't!

[point3]

All fillings are acid - resistant. It's your teeth that aren't!

Never had fillings before :(

So, do ALL your fillings fall out after a few weeks?

[Toothsmith]

If you're having a problem with fillings popping out like that though, there might be a bit of tooth-grinding causing the cavities as well as acid erosion.

Tooth grinding causes a little bit of bending of teeth, and wheras teeth are (slightly) flexible, fillings aren't - so they pop out.

Wearing a night bite guard might help - but you need to get back to your dentist who will be best placed to assess why the fillings have fallen out so quickly.

[nightsky224]

Toothsmith are you a dentist? if so can I be cheeky and ask a question... (would welcome some advice from anyone else too)

My Boyfriend doesn't smoke (quite about year and a half ago) and brushes twice a day. But over the last month or so he has been getting brown stains on his teeth mainly where the teeth join around the edges. Is there anything we can but that will help get rid as we can't really afford a trip to the hygienist at the mo.

[Toothsmith]

Toothsmith are you a dentist? if so can I be cheeky and ask a question... (would welcome some advice from anyone else too)

My Boyfriend doesn't smoke (quite about year and a half ago) and brushes twice a day. But over the last month or so he has been getting brown stains on his teeth mainly where the teeth join around the edges. Is there anything we can but that will help get rid as we can't really afford a trip to the hygienist at the mo.

Once it's built up, it really needs professional help to get rid of.

Has he been on antibiotics recently? Has he started using a mouthwash recently? Or taking Iron supplements? Different toothpaste? Worn out toothbrush?

Is there anything he's been eating or drinking more of in the last few weeks?

[nightsky224]

Once it's built up, it really needs professional help to get rid of.

Has he been on antibiotics recently? Has he started using a mouthwash recently? Or taking Iron supplements? Different toothpaste? Worn out toothbrush?

Is there anything he's been eating or drinking more of in the last few weeks?

Ah, He has been taking antibiotics for his skin (he is 31 but sill has acne type skin) Could that really of caused it?

Thankyou for responding

[Toothsmith]

Very likely - but it should polish off easily enough with the hygienist.

[nightsky224]

Very likely - but it should polish off easily enough with the hygienist.

Thanks Toothsmith, :-( will have to pay out! (and find a dentist lol)

[sd8974]

Thanks for your responses, I just have one additional question...

I can see that once a tooth has formed, that's it - but does the same go for the enamel because the ameloblasts have been destroyed as the tooth erupts? So, say a dentist drills into a tooth [and removes the enamel] in order to insert a filling, the enamel from the side of the tooth doesn't re-grow over the filling?

[Toothsmith]

No - but it would be great if it could!