# Perikyma

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Perikyma
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Perikyma.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perikyma
> Source revision: 1315456960
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|Growth lines of tooth enamel}}
{{More citations needed|auto=yes|date=December 2009}}

'''Perikymata''' ([Greek](/source/Greek_language) plural of περικύμα, '''perikyma''') are incremental growth lines that appear on the surface of [tooth enamel](/source/tooth_enamel) as a series of linear grooves.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Dental Anthropology|last=Hillson|first=Simon|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=1996|isbn=1107078261}}</ref>  In anatomically modern humans, each perikyma takes approximately 6–12 days to form. Thus, the count of perikymata may be used to assess how long a tooth crown took to form.  They may disappear as the enamel wears over time after the tooth erupts. 

Perikymata are the expression of [striae of Retzius](/source/striae_of_Retzius) at the surface of enamel.  They can be found on all teeth, but are usually the easiest to notice on anterior teeth (incisors and canines).

== References ==
{{reflist}}

Category:Parts of tooth

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Perikyma](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perikyma) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perikyma?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.