Replica Studies of the Surfaces of Teeth from Alaskan Eskimo, West Greenland Natives, and American Whites

The Microtopography of Teeth

“…The increased vertical roughness of area D is apparently a result of crossing the transverse waves of the perikymata at 90 degrees. These waves are prominent in area D but seem to disappear in area E 8,9 so that area E would not be expected to present a directional difference in roughness.…”

“…The vertical deflections of the curves shown in the profile tracings in Figures 8,9,10, and 11 represent both roughness and curvature. Compared to the horizontal deflections, where each horizontal division of the graph represents 0.002 inch, each vertical division of the graph represents 100 microinches.…”

“…Because of the limitations of such methods, the surface replica method devised by Heidenreich and Peck 6 for industrial purposes was adapted to the study of the enamel surfaces of teeth by numerous investigators. [7][8][9][10][11][12][13] An accurate method of examining a tooth surface was reported by Charbeneau, Peyton, and Anthony 14 who used an electrcnic profile recorder to demonstrate the effect of various rotary instruments on the enamel surface. Recently Nissle 15 utilized a similar instrument, which produces a single numerical reading for roughness, to compare the difference in surface roughness between teeth scaled with hand scalers and teeth scaled with an ultrasonic instrument.…”

Circumferential continuity of perikymata in human dental enamel investigated by scanning electron microscopy

“…3, 26). Sometimes sueh aberrations are so marked that the continuity of perikymata is difficult or impossible to demonstrate (5). However, deviation from a regular perikymata pattern does not imply a corresponding deviation from the basic, layered construction of enamel.…”

“…The unworti enamel of many mammals exhibits a delicate surface pattern resembling waves, perikymata (1), or overlapping strata, imbrications (2)(3). Although irregularities have been observed (4)(5)(6), the pattern is predominantly and strikingly regular, presenting itself as parallel, alternating ridges and grooves circumscribing the enamel surface in a plane roughly transverse to the long axis to the tooth. Theoretically this image may represent one of two possible configurations: either the ridges and grooves are closed circles (Fig, IA) or they are longitudinally compressed spirals extending from the top of the cusp/incisal edge to the cementoenamel junction ( Fig.…”