Characterizing dental enamel’s mechanical properties from milli- to nanometer length scales

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Understanding the structure-property relationship of enamel is a basis to improve restorative and preventive dentistry. The structure-mechanical properties relationship of dental enamel (made of apatite fibers and a small amount of organics and water) was studied. Enamel’s elastic moduli, elastic/inelastic transition were quantified and the toughening mechanisms were identified for different hierarchical levels. During creep, the interrod regions are able to dissipate higher irreversible energy compared to the enamel rod regions. For enamel fracture, the crack tip toughness, the cohesive stresses and size of the cohesive zone at the crack-tip were quantified.