What are the main mineral crystals in enamel?

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Study for the City and Guilds Dental Nursing Block 2 Test. Use flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations, to prepare effectively. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

What are the main mineral crystals in enamel?

Explanation:
Enamel gets its remarkable hardness from densely packed calcium phosphate crystals, primarily in the form of calcium hydroxyapatite. This mineral, with the chemical structure Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2, forms needle-like crystals that arrange into enamel prisms, giving enamel its rigid, wear-resistant nature. Fluoride can replace some hydroxyl groups to form fluorapatite (Ca10(PO4)6F2), which is even more resistant to acid, but enamel’s main mineral phase is calcium hydroxyapatite. Calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate monohydrate are not the primary mineral components of enamel, so they don’t account for its characteristic hardness.

Enamel gets its remarkable hardness from densely packed calcium phosphate crystals, primarily in the form of calcium hydroxyapatite. This mineral, with the chemical structure Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2, forms needle-like crystals that arrange into enamel prisms, giving enamel its rigid, wear-resistant nature. Fluoride can replace some hydroxyl groups to form fluorapatite (Ca10(PO4)6F2), which is even more resistant to acid, but enamel’s main mineral phase is calcium hydroxyapatite. Calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate monohydrate are not the primary mineral components of enamel, so they don’t account for its characteristic hardness.

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