Figure 1. Typical load-displacement data (N = 5 each) for chemically dehydrated dentin (in 200-proof ethanol and 86-proof Scotch whisky) and hydrated dentin (in Hanks’ Balanced Salt Solution, HBSS), based on three-point bending tests. The initial (elastic) portion of the load-displacement curve is a measure of the stiffness and reflects the Young’s modulus; the maximum point on each curve is a measure of the ultimate bending strength. It is apparent that soaking the dentin samples in whisky or alcohol to dehydrate them led to a significant increase in the stiffness and strength of the dentin.