Pattern of mineral uptake in the developing human deciduous enamel.

The present study describes the detailed changes in mineral concentration in developing human enamel across the different stages of development from early formation to maturation. The results indicate a stage in the development of deciduous human incisor enamel in which the tissue becomes porous because of a loss of matrix protein, which is subsequently replaced by mineral during the maturation process, with the enamel finally becoming fully mineralized and hard. The importance of this stage with regard to enamel susceptibility to metabolic influences is discussed.