Intrinsic Beauty of Teeth - Chapter 2

Discover the Biomimetic Way™ as the gold standard reference from which research, restoration design and reconstruction of teeth emanates. How this concept can be an important tool in helping you make informed decisions about your treatment options.

Dr Bianca Piscioneri

 

There are very few entities existing in the biological realm which can rival the complexities of our teeth - inside and out. This intrinsic beauty is fascinating to me on every level, including biologically and artistically. At the heart of this beauty is the fact that teeth are made up of vastly contrasting materials, each one with completely different characteristics, structures and functions. Each one although biologically complex in their own right, would be totally redundant to function by themselves in the environment such as the mouth, let alone for our entire life.

Think of glass and clay - these are good analogies and examples of enamel and dentine. Teeth, in fact, are magical assemblies of these vastly different materials which are tied together in an intricate way, with special connectors to serve for a lifetime. This magic connector between enamel and dentine is a band of tissue called the dentino-enamel junction.

Yes, our teeth are designed to be of service for a lifetime and it is this dentino-enamel junction that helps the natural tooth be strong yet flexible with outstanding physiological performance, withstanding pressures, changing temperatures, varying degrees of load every day for decades. This is what helps to sustain us and deliver daily pleasure and enjoyment in eating and experiencing all the different textures and tastes in the food we consume.

At GGDS, it is our deep and detailed understanding of this complex nature of teeth that allows us to be leaders in understanding dental materials and how to restore teeth to their optimal function without over drilling and removing healthy tooth structure unnecessarily. Nature is worth copying or mimicking when making decisions about restorative dentistry. Mimicking nature is the true principle of The Biomimetic Way™ and our well developed concept of Teeth For Life Care® Model.

 

"...a natural healthy tooth is an unquestionable reference for any intended restoration process."

 

There a only a few experts in the world - five to seven of them - who are both active practitioners and researchers, have such a great understanding of the design and function of teeth, and know how to use this knowledge in helping to restore them with excellent dental materials and refined skill.

My goal for GGDS has always been to actively connect with the smartest people we could find worldwide. We have been doing this for years and we restore teeth to an unrivalled level of standard as we stand on the shoulders of these giants -our patients reaping the benefits of our integrity infused intentions and high level skillset, as well as being thoroughly informed about their treatment options.

The “Holy Trinity” of Tooth Assembly: Enamel + Dentino-Enamel Junction + Dentin

Although oral disease patterns have been influenced by the constant changes in human life styles, we know from many studies of ancient civilisations that the actual anatomy and the original structure of teeth with enamel and dentine has been unchanged for thousands of years. Therefore, a natural healthy tooth is an unquestionable reference for any intended restoration process.

Both enamel and dentine are brittle materials, but when they are connected together, they gain an essential protective and flexible quality which enables natural teeth to absorb shocks and the energy of forces inflicted on them every day.

 

"...potential fractures and cracks of enamel are deflected through [the dentino-enamel junction] ... thereby preserving the highly mineralised and fracture prone enamel."

 

Assembly of such vastly different tissues is achieved by the most fascinating feature of the natural tooth - the dentino-enamel junction. To understand just how important this junction is, the dentino-enamel junction is the earliest component that forms in the tooth crown while in the uterus, and not the living 'nerve' or pulp centrally located in the tooth when the tooth finally makes it through the gum and into the mouth where it is needed.

Scanning electron microscope fractogram of this junction demonstrate how potential fractures and cracks of enamel are deflected through it and into another plane thereby preserving the highly mineralised and fracture prone enamel.

 

"A type of physiological insurance by nature to support uninterrupted function of our teeth for a lifetime."

 

In simple terms, different types of collagen fibres, loops and bundles from the junction weave through and in between the highly mineralised enamel and dentine layers.

This is one super biologically engineered connection and I would not be able to do it justice in simplifying it in a few words. A full day's worth of lectures would barely touch the surface on the knowledge we have about this junction and how critical this knowledge is in when we discuss options with our patients in order for them to make informed decisions about the materials for their restorations and direction of their treatment.

The truth about the centre of the tooth

In my opinion, it is absolutely important and critical that every time we restore a tooth, the objective of all decisions is to help preserve the pulp of the tooth and to keep it alive. Yet, the whole assembly of tooth structurally can continue to function without this vital tissue. Removal of this tissue is the beginning of the commonly known root-canal treatment and process.

This means that the ligament complex surrounding the tooth in its socket, together with the unique assembly of enamel, dentino-enamel junction and dentin, are designed to continue to serve their host even if the central pulp is lost. A type of physiological insurance by nature to support uninterrupted function of our teeth for a lifetime.