Teeth are constituted mainly of hydroxyapatite molecules (Ca(10)(PO(4))(6)(OH)(2)), grouped in different microstructural arrangements, depending on the dental layer considered (enamel or dentine). In the present work, these dental microstructural arrangements were characterized by atomic force microscopy. Enamel and dentine samples were cut from freshly extracted bovine incisor teeth. After metallographic polishing, the dental surfaces were etched with lactic acid (113.8 mmol/L, pH 3.3). Three etching times were tested: 1, 3 and 5 min. Atomic force micrographs showed that 1 min of etching time was effective to remove the smear layer, polishing debris and scratches, and display the characteristics of interest for both enamel and dentine. Although the bovine dental enamel rod cross-section presented keyhole-like shape, its measured dimensions (8.8 microm of major axis and 3.7 microm of minor axis) exhibited an insignificant discrepancy from human prisms diameters. Bovine dentinal tubules displayed larger mean diameters (4.0 microm) and a lower density (approximately 17,100 tubules/mm(2)) than human dentine, suggesting that the use of bovine dentine as a substitute for human dentine in resin adhesion investigations should be reconsidered. Apatite nanoparticles presented a mean radius (22-23 nm) considerably smaller than that of human teeth.