Complementary Physical and Mechanical Techniques to Characterise Tooth: A Bone-like Tissue

Bone like tissues are biocomposites comprising an organic matrix (mostly collagen) and a reinforcement phase in the form of mineral crystals (poorly stoichiometric apatite). The composite properties are a result of the material characteristics of the two phases, their interaction, the relative composition, the orientation and the micro-architecture of the structure. The inherent spatial heterogeneity of these tissues (a result of evolutionary and functional requirements) and their exposure to various environmental and mechanical influences result in highly variable properties on the microscale, which can only be characterised by modern microanalytical methods. We present here results obtained by the complementary use of the modern nanoindentation and micro-X-ray diffraction techniques, which were used to probe the properties and structure of human dentine and enamel of primary molar teeth. The results show that both the addition and the higher organization of mineral within the organic matrix produce stiffer and harder tissue and that the examination of properties within small tissue volumes can be reliably achieved by use of these two methods in parallel. This opens new avenues in the study of biomaterial in general, and for the local characterisation of regions of teeth that suffered bacterial attack, mechanical wear, fluoridisation, chemical bleaching, or dental treatment such as laser ablation or drilling.