dentin

noun

den·​tin ˈden-tᵊn How to pronounce dentin (audio)
variants or dentine
: a calcareous material similar to but harder and denser than bone that composes the principal mass of a tooth see tooth illustration
dentinal adjective

Examples of dentin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The chemical compounds are all incorporated into dentin, which is the mineralized tissue that makes up the interior portion of teeth. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 3 May 2023 Dental stem cells could be used for more than just creating dentin. Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 10 Jan. 2017 In a tooth, layers of dentin are laid down over the animal’s lifetime. Amber Dance, Discover Magazine, 27 Nov. 2018 This information is stored in layers of dentin—the material that’s in all teeth, as tusks are elongated upper incisors. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 May 2023 Boka Restore Mouthwash Tablets, $20 Hydroxyapatite is a naturally-occuring mineral that that’s also a building block of tooth enamel and dentin. Katie Chang, Forbes, 4 May 2023 The study also required new methods to extract steroids from the tusk dentin with a mass spectrometer. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 3 May 2023 Then, the researchers used a drill bit operated beneath a microscope to grind samples of dentin, the mineralized tissue inside teeth, since tusks are elongated incisors. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 3 May 2023 Our teeth produce enough dentin on their own to repair small cracks and injuries, but when a larger cavity necessitates drilling, our teeth aren't up to the job. Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 10 Jan. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dentin.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1845, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dentin was circa 1845

Dictionary Entries Near dentin

Cite this Entry

“Dentin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dentin. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

dentin

noun
den·​tin ˈdent-ᵊn How to pronounce dentin (audio)
variants or dentine
: a calcium-containing material that is similar to bone but harder and that makes up the principal mass of a tooth

Medical Definition

dentin

noun
den·​tin ˈdent-ᵊn How to pronounce dentin (audio)
variants or dentine
: a calcareous material similar to bone but harder and denser that composes the principal mass of a tooth, is formed by the odontoblasts of the surface of the dental papilla, and consists of a matrix containing minute parallel tubules which open into the pulp cavity and during life contain processes of the cells of the pulp compare cementum, enamel

More from Merriam-Webster on dentin

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!