Dentin gets brittle with age
Boffins have discovered that dentin becomes far more brittle with age.
Scientists from the University of Maryland (UoM) and Shanghai University (SU) found that old dentin was around 30 per cent weaker than young dentin.
Fourteen third molars from patients aged 18 to 83 were tested to examine the effect age had on dentin.
The research team, led by Dr Dwayne Arola of UoM’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, noted that dentin was weaker or tougher depending on the number of lumens that were present and the special orientation between the tubules.
It was concluded that current practices in restorative dentistry were based on expert knowledge of tooth tissues but they did not accommodate changes that are associated with aging.
The authors recommended that treatment experts should consider developing age-sensitive methods for senior citizens.
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