Prepare for the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry Oral Boards. Utilize flashcards and multiple-choice questions with hints and explanations to ace your exam!

Multiple Choice

Which term describes the mineralization phase of tooth development?

Mineralization is the stage where the tooth tissues gain hardness by depositing minerals into their organic matrices. This deposition of calcium and phosphate as hydroxyapatite crystals is why enamel and dentin become rigid. The term used to describe that mineral-adding process is calcification. Eruption is the tooth’s movement into the mouth, not a mineralization event. Resorption involves breakdown of tooth structure, and remineralization is the repair of minerals after demineralization, not the initial formation.

Mineralization is the stage where the tooth tissues gain hardness by depositing minerals into their organic matrices. This deposition of calcium and phosphate as hydroxyapatite crystals is why enamel and dentin become rigid. The term used to describe that mineral-adding process is calcification. Eruption is the tooth’s movement into the mouth, not a mineralization event. Resorption involves breakdown of tooth structure, and remineralization is the repair of minerals after demineralization, not the initial formation.