Fig 8. Schematic of mineral deposition rate over time.

Mineral deposition over time in published models (left) and as found in this study (center and right), with secretion in purple, and maturation in green. In the Suga (1982) model, maturation is not continuous with secretion and is broken into a series of waves (top left). In the model of Passey and Cerling (2002) both mineralization phases are contiguous and maturation is constant. We find that secretion and maturation are discontinuous cuspally (center), less so near the enamel surface (above) and more so near the EDJ (below). These processes become contiguous towards the end of crown formation, as the maturation wave converges with secretion near the cervix (right).