Experimental studies on the nature of property gradients in the human dentine

We conducted an investigation into the nature of dentine mineralization and mechanical property gradients with the aid of experimental techniques such as the fluoroscopic X-ray microanalysis and instrumented microindentation, respectively. It was found that the tooth adapts to a complex structure wi th significant gradients in properties. We observed a significant correlati on between the degree of mineralization within the dentine and the mechanic al properties. The natural gradation in mechanical properties is explained by the stress analysis within anatomical-sized tooth specimens done using d igital photoelasticity. These results are explained within the context of t he functional requirements that are imposed on the tooth. This study highli ghts tooth structure as a biologically adapted, functionally graded materia l. (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.