Cementum annuli
Definition
Incremental growth layers in cementum, deposited at a rate of approximately one pair of translucent and opaque bands per year throughout adult life. Counted in a thin ground section viewed under transmitted light microscopy to estimate age at death, typically within plus or minus two to three years.
Related terms
- Cementum
- A thin, bone-like mineralised tissue that covers the external surface of the tooth root. Deposited incrementally throughout life in alternating translucent and...
- Dentine
- The mineralised tissue forming the bulk of the tooth, surrounding the pulp chamber and root canal. Contains a network of dentinal tubules,...
- Enamel
- The outermost layer of the tooth crown, formed by ameloblasts before tooth eruption. Composed of approximately 96% hydroxyapatite mineral by weight. Acellular...
- Odontoblast
- A specialised cell of neural crest origin that forms dentine. The cell body sits at the pulp-dentine junction while a long cellular...
- Stable isotope analysis
- A technique that measures the ratio of stable (non-radioactive) isotopes of elements such as strontium, oxygen, and carbon in a biological sample....
Explained in
- Dental Tissue and Its Forensic ApplicationsIncremental growth layers in cementum, deposited at a rate of approximately one pair of translucent and opaque bands per year throughout adult life. Counted in...