Dentin Grows More Brittle With Age

Just about everyone knows that our bones grow more brittle and susceptible to fracture with age. But bones aren’t the only hard tissue in the body that might be a problem in our latter years. A number of studies indicate that dentin, the load-bearing core of our teeth located below the enamel, tends to become brittle and fracture more easily with age, potentially leading to the expensive repair or extraction of an otherwise healthy tooth. The problem has been poorly appreciated for centuries – and with good reason. Until a generation ago, most seniors already had lost most or all of their natural teeth by their retirement years. With more seniors now keeping their teeth for a lifetime, dentists have begun to ask why and how dentin fractures occur and whether anything can be done to prevent the problem.

For complete article: http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/Research/ResearchResults/ScienceBriefs/Archive/SNIB2009/September/Dentin.htm

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