Tooth enamel (subjected to acid etching)

Tooth enamel is the hardest tissue in the human body, forming the protective outer layer of teeth and primarily composed of over 95% carbonated hydroxyapatite crystals, with the remainder consisting of water and trace organic matrix proteins[1][3][4][6][7]. The process of etching tooth enamel typically involves the application of an acid (commonly phosphoric acid) to roughen its surface, increasing its surface energy to facilitate the adhesion of dental materials such as composite resins during restorative procedures. This alters the enamel’s microstructure by partially demineralizing the surface, but does not alter its molecular composition or introduce a defined target for drugs[2][6]. “Etched tooth enamel” is therefore a a treated tissue state, not a molecule or receptor. - Tooth enamel itself is not a receptor, protein, or molecular target but a composite mineralized structure primarily for mechanical protection, and does not fit the concept of a therapeutic target as used in drug discovery or molecular research[2][3][4].

Other names

Acid-etched enameletched enamel surface