enamel hypocalcification, a defect in which the enamel of the teeth is soft and undercalcified and opaque in appearance but normal in quantity. It is caused by defective maturation of ameloblasts. The teeth are chalky in consistency, their surfaces wear down rapidly and are more susceptible to caries, and a yellowish brown stain appears on the teeth as the underlying dentin is exposed. The condition affects both primary and secondary teeth. Compare enamel hypoplasia. See also amelogenesis imperfecta.
