TCDHA HISTOLOGY FINAL PAPER 2026
CERTIFICATION EVALUATION QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
●● What is the blood supply of enamel?
Answer: Avascular and non-vital (has no nerves)
●● What is the material makeup of enamel?
Answer: 96% inorganic (mineralized) material - mainly calcium
hydroxyapatite
3% water
1% organic - enamelin (protein component)
●● What color is enamel?
Answer: It is grayish/bluish white but appears slightly yellow b/c its
translucent and the underlying dentin is yellowish
●● What is amelogenesis
Answer: Process of enamel matrix formation
●● Where is enamel matrix derived from?
,Answer: Enamel matrix is ectodermal and is derived from inner enamel
epithelium (IEE) of enamel organ
●● What stage does amelogenesis occur in?
Answer: During the appositional stage (formation of enamel/dentin
matrix) of tooth development
●● What is enamel matrix composed of?
Answer: At first is composed of proteins, carbohydrates and small
amounts of calcium hydroxyapatite crystals
it DOES NOT contain proteins like dentin, cementum and alveolar bone
●● What must be present in amelogenesis?
Answer: Dentin must be present
●● Where is enamel first formed?
Answer: Enamel is first formed in the cusp/ tip area of a tooth
●● Ameloblasts
Answer: Produce enamel matrix
●● Tomes process
,Answer: - secretes enamel matrix
- 6 sided pyramidal shaped projection of ameloblast facing DEJ
( guiding factor of laying down enamel)
●● Where is enamel present in?
Answer: It is present on the anatomical crown area ONLY
●● Enamel pearl
Answer: Small, spherical enamel projections on root surface
●● Enamel dysplasia
Answer: Faulty development of enamel
●● Deepened pits and fissures
Answer: Is common and occurs when ameloblasts back into one another
during stage of apposition, cutting off their source of nutrition, which
causes incomplete maturation of enamel matrix
(These areas may become target areas for dental caries)
●● Sealants
Answer: used in the prevention of caries
, ●● What is mineralization? (Complete/incomplete/immediate/not
immediate)
Answer: It is complete and immediate
●● What do ameloblasts actively pump?
Answer: Ameloblasts actively pump calcium hydroxyapatite into the
forming enamel matrix as it is secreted by tome's process
●● What do ameloblasts become part of after enamel apposition?
Answer: When ameloblasts are finished with enamel apposition and
maturation, they become part of the Reduced Enamel Epithelium (REE)
●● What happens to ameloblasts after tooth erupts?
Answer: Ameloblasts are then lost forver once tooth erupts, therefore
prevent further apposition of enamel
●● How does a newly erupted tooth continue to mineralize?
Answer: A newly erupted tooth will continue to mineralize post-eruption
by taking up materials from saliva
●● Enamel rod
Answer: Structural unit of enamel
CERTIFICATION EVALUATION QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
●● What is the blood supply of enamel?
Answer: Avascular and non-vital (has no nerves)
●● What is the material makeup of enamel?
Answer: 96% inorganic (mineralized) material - mainly calcium
hydroxyapatite
3% water
1% organic - enamelin (protein component)
●● What color is enamel?
Answer: It is grayish/bluish white but appears slightly yellow b/c its
translucent and the underlying dentin is yellowish
●● What is amelogenesis
Answer: Process of enamel matrix formation
●● Where is enamel matrix derived from?
,Answer: Enamel matrix is ectodermal and is derived from inner enamel
epithelium (IEE) of enamel organ
●● What stage does amelogenesis occur in?
Answer: During the appositional stage (formation of enamel/dentin
matrix) of tooth development
●● What is enamel matrix composed of?
Answer: At first is composed of proteins, carbohydrates and small
amounts of calcium hydroxyapatite crystals
it DOES NOT contain proteins like dentin, cementum and alveolar bone
●● What must be present in amelogenesis?
Answer: Dentin must be present
●● Where is enamel first formed?
Answer: Enamel is first formed in the cusp/ tip area of a tooth
●● Ameloblasts
Answer: Produce enamel matrix
●● Tomes process
,Answer: - secretes enamel matrix
- 6 sided pyramidal shaped projection of ameloblast facing DEJ
( guiding factor of laying down enamel)
●● Where is enamel present in?
Answer: It is present on the anatomical crown area ONLY
●● Enamel pearl
Answer: Small, spherical enamel projections on root surface
●● Enamel dysplasia
Answer: Faulty development of enamel
●● Deepened pits and fissures
Answer: Is common and occurs when ameloblasts back into one another
during stage of apposition, cutting off their source of nutrition, which
causes incomplete maturation of enamel matrix
(These areas may become target areas for dental caries)
●● Sealants
Answer: used in the prevention of caries
, ●● What is mineralization? (Complete/incomplete/immediate/not
immediate)
Answer: It is complete and immediate
●● What do ameloblasts actively pump?
Answer: Ameloblasts actively pump calcium hydroxyapatite into the
forming enamel matrix as it is secreted by tome's process
●● What do ameloblasts become part of after enamel apposition?
Answer: When ameloblasts are finished with enamel apposition and
maturation, they become part of the Reduced Enamel Epithelium (REE)
●● What happens to ameloblasts after tooth erupts?
Answer: Ameloblasts are then lost forver once tooth erupts, therefore
prevent further apposition of enamel
●● How does a newly erupted tooth continue to mineralize?
Answer: A newly erupted tooth will continue to mineralize post-eruption
by taking up materials from saliva
●● Enamel rod
Answer: Structural unit of enamel
