Amelogenesis
Pronunciation: uh-mel-oh-JEN-uh-sis
The developmental process by which tooth enamel is formed by ameloblast cells.
Full Definition
Amelogenesis refers to the biological process of enamel formation during tooth development, carried out by specialized epithelial cells called ameloblasts. The process occurs in two main stages: the secretory stage, during which the organic enamel matrix is laid down, and the maturation stage, during which mineralisation is completed. Disruption of this process results in amelogenesis imperfecta, a hereditary condition affecting enamel structure. Editors working on dental developmental pathology texts must distinguish amelogenesis from dentinogenesis, which governs dentin formation.
Usage
Usage note: Do not conflate with 'dentinogenesis'; each term refers to a distinct calcified tissue. Always lowercase unless beginning a sentence.
In Context
- "Fluoride toxicity during amelogenesis can result in dental fluorosis, causing white or brown mottling of the enamel surface." — Clinical research paper
- "The histology chapter described the secretory and maturation phases of amelogenesis in detail." — Dental textbook