Quantitative Analyses of the Development of Different Hard Tissues

The mineral apatite is the inorganic base element of hard tissues and its main configuration is the hexagonal hydroxyapatite. The physical and chemical characteristics are defined by the orientation of the crystals at the organic matrix. The formation of such hard tissues is a multistep process in which crystal formation and crystal growth are the final steps. This chapter will discuss these final steps from the first appearing crystallites and their further arrangement and structural orientation.