dentine

/ ˈdɛntiːn; ˈdɛntɪn /

noun

1. the calcified tissue surrounding the pulp cavity of a tooth and comprising the bulk of the tooth

Derived Forms

• ˈdentinal, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dentine¹

C19: from denti- + -in

Example Sentences

Hard, protective body scales, made of mineralized tissue such as dentine or enamel, could have migrated into the mouth—a hypothesis known as outside-in.

From Scientific American

Maya dentists drilled holes into the enamel and dentine, then fit the stones and applied a sealant, usually as part of a rite of passage to adulthood.

From Science Magazine

But these teeth, like most animal teeth, are composed of a substance called dentine, capped by a hard, thin covering of enamel.

From New York Times

Tusks have no enamel, Dr. Whitney said, and grow continuously even as the comparatively softer dentine gets worn away.

From New York Times

The target is called TRPC5, and Prof Zimmermann's team at the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg in Germany traced its location to a specific cell type - the odontoblast - that resides between the soft inner pulp and the hard outer layer of teeth composed of dentine, then enamel.

From BBC