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WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS OF ENAMEL?
Enamel is the hardest substance within the human body. It is a highly organized structure of crystalline rods (also known as prisms) that contribute to the strength, density, and hardness of the substance. These enamel rods are largely composed of hydroxyapatite, which is crystallized calcium phosphate. Enamel is extremely strong, but is also highly brittle. It is gray-white in color. The organic component of enamel consists mostly of the protein enamelin, which is very similar to the skin's keratin. Other enamel proteins include amelogenins and ameloblastin. The inorganic component of enamel is 96% hydroxyapatite, which contributes to a large majority of the structure of enamel rods. The arrangement of enamelin between and around the crystallized rods contributes to enamel's permeability (microporosity) to fluids, bacteria, and the acid by-products of bacteria.


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