Histology of Normal Enamel. III. Phase Contrast Study
A. JOHN GWINNETT 1
1 Medical Research Council, Dental Research Unit, Dental School, Lower Maudlin Street, Bristol, England
An examination of very thin, ground sections (4 to 10 µ) from human permanent teeth, made by means of phase contrast microscopy, showed that certain sites in the enamel (such as prism periphery and cross striations) possess greatly different refractive indexes. Such sites must differ structurally from those sites having a constant refractive index (prism core and surface enamel, for example). The difference was related either to the natural porosity of the enamel or to sites having an abundance of organic material in which porosity may be easily induced by dehydration.
Submitted on May 3, 1965
