Neonatal line
Encyclopedia
The neonatal line is a particular band of incremental growth lines seen in histologic
Histology
Histology is the study of the microscopic anatomy of cells and tissues of plants and animals. It is performed by examining cells and tissues commonly by sectioning and staining; followed by examination under a light microscope or electron microscope...

 sections of a deciduous tooth. It belongs to a series of a growth lines in tooth enamel
Tooth enamel
Tooth enamel, along with dentin, cementum, and dental pulp is one of the four major tissues that make up the tooth in vertebrates. It is the hardest and most highly mineralized substance in the human body. Tooth enamel is also found in the dermal denticles of sharks...

 known as the Striae of Retzius
Striae of Retzius
The striae of Retzius are incremental growth lines or bands seen in tooth enamel and are the result of disrupted enamel development.-Appearance:...

. The neonatal line is darker and larger than the rest of the striae of Retzius. It is caused by the different physiologic changes birth and is used to identify enamel formation before and after birth.

In forensic
Forensics
Forensic science is the application of a broad spectrum of sciences to answer questions of interest to a legal system. This may be in relation to a crime or a civil action...

dentistry, the neonatal line can be used to distinguish matters such as if a child died before or after birth and approximately how long a child lived after birth.

These lines are formed in Enamel and dentine at the point of birth.Therefore, only teeth that are developing at birth can exhibit neonatal lines. All the primary teeth are forming at birth. The first permanent molar is just beginning calcification at or near birth.
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