Dentine
Pronunciation: DEN-teen
The calcified tissue forming the bulk of a tooth beneath the enamel and cementum, surrounding the pulp.
Full Definition
Dentine (spelled 'dentin' in American English) is the hard, yellowish calcified tissue that constitutes the major structural component of a tooth. It lies beneath the enamel in the crown and beneath the cementum in the root, and it encloses the pulp chamber and root canals. Dentine is less mineralised than enamel and is sensitive when exposed, making it clinically significant in caries progression, hypersensitivity, and restorative dentistry. Editors working on UK dental documents should use the '-ine' spelling; US documents use 'dentin'.
Usage
Usage note: UK dental documents use 'dentine'; US documents use 'dentin'. Flag and standardise according to the house style of the target document. Do not conflate with 'enamel' (the outer layer) or 'cementum' (the root surface layer).
In Context
- "The carious lesion had progressed through the enamel and into the underlying dentine." — Clinical examination note
- "Dentine hypersensitivity was reported by the patient on cold stimuli at the lower left canine." — Patient complaint record