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The nature of surface enamel in human teeth

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Abstract

This review will consider only the developments in the study of surface enamel which have taken place over the past ten years. It has been found necessary to limit the scope to several topics and even then to restrict the discussion of these. Similarly, the bibliography has been kept to a minimum and selected so that the reader can obtain further references on a selected topic from particular papers quoted. The subjects included are the microanatomy of the surface as seen in relief and histological sections; the pros and cons of regarding the acquired pellicle or surface cuticle as an integral part of the enamel, surface remineralization, microhardness and its relationship to variations in density; the chemical composition of the natural enamel surface and some of the modifications to this which have been induced by topical prophylactic treatment.

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Speirs, R.L. The nature of surface enamel in human teeth. Calc. Tis Res. 8, 1–16 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02010118

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