Aluminablasting of human tooth enamel

As part of a programme aimed at enhancing the degree of bonding that can be developed between dental polymer and human tooth enamel, the enamel has been subjected to two types of pretreatment, namely, aluminablasting (a mechanical etching) and aluminablasting followed by surface etching with orthophosphoric acid. Analysis of the surfaces so prepared by scanning electron microscopy has shown that enamel patterns with different degrees of retention ability have been obtained, and that the surfaces should be capable of bonding with dental polymer.     

Conductivity in human tooth enamel

When human tooth enamel is heated either in vacuum or air it presents drastic changes in electrical susceptibility, conductivity and structural properties. In this paper we report an insulator-conductive transition which is observed in air around 350°C where enamel conductivity changes drastically and its electrical resistance decreases from 10¹⁵ to 10⁵ that is, it goes from an insulator to a super-ionic ceramic behavior. This transition, first evidenced in vacuum by electron microscopy observations, is now completely determined by a.c. impedance spectroscopy technique and its characterization was carried out as a function of the frequency and temperature. X-ray in situ heating diffraction experiments show that there is no structural phase transition during a wide range of temperature including the one where the conductivity transition occurs.     

Spherical indentation of tooth enamel

Spherical indentation measurements were made on enamel surfaces of intact human teeth. From the load versus depth of indentation curve Young's modulus was found to be typically 8.3×10¹⁰ Pa and the yield stress to be 3.3×10⁸ Pa. Young's modulus was observed to vary with moisture content and with the orientation of the enamel surface. Viscoelastic behaviour was evident, also depending on the moisture content of the enamel.     

Electron paramagnetic resonance of human tooth enamel at high gamma ray doses

Powdered human tooth enamel was exposed to 60Co gamma rays up to a dose of 100 kGy. The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) signal intensity (1) of the radiation-generated carbon dioxide radicals was measured for dependence on absorbed dose (D). The EPR dose response can be fitted with an exponential saturation function I = I(M)[1 - exp(-D/D37)] with the saturated signal intensity (I(M)) and the dose saturation value (D37). The obtained value D37 = 9.64 (+/- 0.96) kGy (measured at least one month after irradiation) exceeds those given in the literature. The saturated concentration of orthorhombic CO2- radicals was estimated at 6.5 x 10(17) per gram of enamel by comparing the integrated EPR spectra of enamel and a standard MgO:Cr probe. For enamel samples, which were heated before irradiation for one hour at +405 degrees C, the value of D37T = 3.89 (+/- 0.44) kGy and the saturated value of CO2- radicals 3.4 x 10(17) per gram of enamel were lower than for unheated samples. The initial rise of the signal with the dose was slightly higher (8.8 x 10(13) radicals/g x Gy) for heated compared with unheated samples (6.8 x 10(13) radicals/g x Gy).     

XRD and FTIR crystallinity indices in sound human tooth enamel and synthetic hydroxyapatite

The crystallinity index (CI) is a measure of the percentage of crystalline material in a given sample and it is also correlated to the degree of order within the crystals. In the literature two ways are reported to measure the CI: X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy. Although the CI determined by these techniques has been adopted in the field of archeology as a structural order measure in the bone with the idea that it can help e.g. in the sequencing of the bones in chronological and/or stratigraphic order, some debate remains about the reliability of the CI values. To investigate similarities and differences between the two techniques, the CI of sound human tooth enamel and synthetic hydroxyapatite (HAP) was measured in this work by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), at room temperature and after heat treatment. Although the (CI)_XRD index is related to the crystal structure of the samples and the (CI)_FTIR index is related to the vibration modes of the molecular bonds, both indices showed similar qualitative behavior for heat-treated samples. At room temperature, the (CI)_XRD value indicated that enamel is more crystalline than synthetic HAP, while (CI)_FTIR indicated the opposite. Scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) images were also used to corroborate the measured CI values.     

Mechanical properties of human enamel as a function of age and location in the tooth

Aging and the related changes in mechanical behavior of hard tissues of the human body are becoming increasingly important. In this study the influence of aging on the mechanical behavior of human enamel was evaluated using 3rd molars from young (18 < or = age < or = 30 years) and old (55 < or = age) patients. The hardness and elastic modulus were quantified using nanoindentation as a function of distance from the Dentin-Enamel Junction (DEJ) and within three different regions of the crown (i.e. cervical, cuspal and inter-cuspal enamel). Results of the evaluation showed that the elastic modulus and hardness increased with distance from the DEJ in all three regions examined, regardless of patient age. The largest increases with distance from the DEJ occurred within the cervical region of the old enamel. Overall, the results showed that there were no age-dependent differences in properties of enamel near the DEJ. However, near the tooth's surface, both the hardness (p < 0.025) and elastic modulus (p < 0.0001) were significantly greater in the old enamel. At the surface of the tooth the average elastic modulus of "old" enamel was nearly 20% greater than that of enamel from the young patients.     

STEM-HAADF electron microscopy analysis of the central dark line defect of human tooth enamel crystallites

When human tooth enamel is observed with the Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), a structural defect is registered in the central region of their nanometric grains or crystallites. This defect has been named as Central Dark Line (CDL) and its structure and function in the enamel structure have been unknown yet. In this work we present the TEM analysis to these crystallites using the High Angle Annular Dark Field (HAADF) technique. Our results suggest that the CDL region is the calcium richest part of the human tooth enamel crystallites.     

In phantom Dosimetric response of tooth enamel to neutrons

Electron Paramagnetic Resonance dosimetry based on tooth enamel has one important application in dose reconstruction of nuclear plant workers, where the contribution of neutrons to individual dose is often important. Evaluation of tooth enamel response to neutrons is thus an important goal. A few experimental data at thermal and fast neutron energies are available. A first evaluation of the tooth enamel relative response to 60Co in monoenergetic neutron flux of 2.8 and of 14 MeV, published elsewhere, has provided results apparently non-consistent with the results obtained at lower and higher energies. A comparison of those results in the 2.8 and 14 MeV beams with those available in the literature for other beams is reported and possible reasons for incongruities are discussed. Dose conversion factors of enamel to the water and air are also calculated and reported.     

Mechanisms and causes of wear in tooth enamel: implications for hominin diets

The wear of teeth is a major factor limiting mammalian lifespans in the wild. One method of describing worn surfaces, dental microwear texture analysis, has proved powerful for reconstructing the diets of extinct vertebrates, but has yielded unexpected results in early hominins. In particular, although australopiths exhibit derived craniodental features interpreted as adaptations for eating hard foods, most do not exhibit microwear signals indicative of this diet. However, no experiments have yet demonstrated the fundamental mechanisms and causes of this wear. Here, we report nanowear experiments where individual dust particles, phytoliths and enamel chips were slid across a flat enamel surface. Microwear features produced were influenced strongly by interacting mechanical properties and particle geometry. Quartz dust was a rigid abrasive, capable of fracturing and removing enamel pieces. By contrast, phytoliths and enamel chips deformed during sliding, forming U-shaped grooves or flat troughs in enamel, without tissue loss. Other plant tissues seem too soft to mark enamel, acting as particle transporters. We conclude that dust has overwhelming importance as a wear agent and that dietary signals preserved in dental microwear are indirect. Nanowear studies should resolve controversies over adaptive trends in mammals like enamel thickening or hypsodonty that delay functional dental loss.     

The toughness of tooth enamel,a natural fibrous composite

It is suggested on the basis of experiments carried out in vitro on whole caries-free human premolars that the energy absorbing capacity (mechanical toughness) of the enamel depends upon the explusion of liquid from between the mineral fibre of this natural composite material. Classical theory of flow through narrow channels with recent modifications to allow for the influence of the electrical double layers at the surface of the fibres has been applied to show how toughness can be influenced and controlled by wholly chemical methods. In particular the effect of replacing the hydroxyl groups with flouride ions is shown to result in an increase in toughness. Finally, it is suggested that the flow of liquids through fine capillaries may be responsible for toughness in other natural fibrous composites such as wood.Dr. Peter Fox died shortly after the acceptance of this paper for publication. It has been my pleasure to publish several of Dr Fox's distinctive papers over the years and his thoughtful contributions to the subject of Materials Science will be missed.     

EuCuOSe: Crystal structure refinement, electrical and magnetic properties

The europium copper oxyselenide EuCuOSe has been prepared by reacting Eu, CuO and Se in the ratio 1:1:1 at 1123 K for a period of 10 days in sealed quartz ampoule. The structure has been determined by single-crystal X-ray methods. The compound crystallizes tetragonal in the space group P4/nmm (no. 129) with two formula units in the cell with dimensions a = 393.65(8) pm and c = 871.80(17) pm. The structure is composed of double layers separated by copper atoms, which are tetrahedrally coordinated to Se²⁻ anions. According to the resistivity measurements, EuCuOSe is a semiconductor. The magnetic susceptibility data shows the typical non-Curie-Weiss behavior of the ⁷F_J states of Eu in the 4f⁶ configuration.     

Effects of different preparation procedures during tooth whitening on enamel bonding

The objective of this study was to assess effects of some clinically related preparation procedures during tooth whitening on enamel bonding properties. Sixty-two extracted human teeth were cleaned and divided into four groups. Forty-two of the teeth were left with their natural surface intact while 20 teeth were polished to form a flat surface. Half of the tooth served as the experimental side and received one of the two whitening products: Opalescence (10% carbamide peroxide) and Crest Whitestrips (6.5% hydrogen peroxide), for 2 weeks. Post-bleaching intervals included: 1 day, 1 week, and 2 weeks. On these days, tooth (10 mm × 1.5 mm × 1.5 mm) sections were evaluated using Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and tensile bond strength tests. T-test, ANOVA test, and mixed model regression analysis were used to assess the differences. No significant difference existed between natural surface and polished surface teeth for all groups at both Day One and Week Two (P > 0.05). On Day One, both treated groups had significant lower bond strength than the control group (P = 0.002). After 2 weeks, no significant difference existed between any group (P = 0.381). SEM indicated that resin–enamel interfaces in bleached enamel exhibited more defects in granular formations when compared to the control. Raman results indicated a lower degree of polymerization (DP) of adhesive at the interface for treated teeth surfaces. In summary, pre-bleaching surface treatments such as polish or non-polish, had no effect on bond strength. Bleaching significantly decreased bond strength initially, but after 2 weeks, bleaching had no significant effect on bond strength. Storage time had significant effect on Opalescence treated enamel, but not on control and Whitestrip treated enamel. The decrease of bond strength may be related to interfacial defects and low DP due to oxygen release after bleaching.     

Analyses of absorbed dose to tooth enamel against external photon exposure

Absorbed dose to tooth enamel was examined against external photon exposure by measurements with thermoluminescence dosemeters (TLDs) and Monte Carlo calculations. TLDs were placed in a realistic physical phantom to measure dose to the teeth region in a head. A voxel-type phantom was constructed from computed tomography (CT) images of the physical phantom. Monte Carlo calculations with this voxel-type phantom were performed to analyse the results of the experiments. The data obtained were compared to the enamel doses, which were calculated with a modified MIRD-type phantom and already given in a previous paper. It was confirmed that the data derived with the MIRD-type phantom are applicable for retrospective individual dose assessments by electron spin resonance (ESR) dosimetry using teeth for the photon energy region above 300 keV. The analysis, however, indicated that the configuration of the head can affect the enamel dose relative to external exposure to photons with energy below 100 keV.     

Treatment of tooth fracture by medium energy CO2 laser and DP-bioactive glass paste: Thermal behavior and phase transformation of human tooth enamel and dentin after irradiation by CO2 laser

Acute trauma or trauma associated with occlusal disharmony can produce tooth crack or fracture. Although several methods are proposed to treat the defect, however, the prognosis is generally poor. If the fusion of a tooth fracture by laser is possible it will offer an alternative to extraction or at least serve as an adjunctive treatment in the reconstruction. The responses of soft tissues to lasers of different wavelengths are fairly well known, but the reactions of hard tissues are still to be understood. The purpose of this research was to study the feasibility of using a medium energy continuous-wave CO₂ laser and a low melting-point bioactive glass to fuse or bridge tooth fractures. The present report is focused on the first part of the research, the analysis of changes in laser-irradiated human tooth enamel/dentin by means of X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Fourier-transforming infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential thermal analysis/thermogravimetric analysis (DTA/TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). After CO₂ laser irradiation, there were no marked changes in the X-ray diffraction pattern of the enamel when compared to that before laser treatment. However, a small peak belonging to -TCP appeared at the position of 2=30.78°C. After being treated with CO₂ laser, the dentin showed much sharper peaks on the diffraction patterns because of grain growth and better crystallinity. -TCP and -TCP were identified after laser treatment. In the FTIR analysis, an HPO₄ ^-2 absorption band was noted before laser treatment disappeared after the irradiation. No significant change in the absorption band of HPO₄ ^-2 was found on the FTIR curves of enamel after laser treatment. The results of DTA/TGA indicated that loss of water and organic materials occurred in both enamel and dentin after laser treatment. Under SEM, melting and resolidification occurred in both enamel and dentin by medium energy of CO₂ laser. This implies that using a continuous-wave CO₂ laser of medium energy density to fuse a low melting-point bioactive glass to the enamel/dentin is possible. We believe these phase changes and thermal data can make a useful guide for future studies on the thermal interaction and bridging mechanism between the bioactive glass and enamel/dentin under CO₂ laser irradiation. © 2000 Kluwer Academic Publishers     

Calibration of EPR signal dose response of tooth enamel to photons: experiment and Monte Carlo simulation

The experimental energy dependence of the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) radiation-induced signal at irradiation by photons in the energy range of 13 keV-1.25 MeV was analysed in terms of the absorbed dose in human tooth enamel. The latter was calculated using a Monte Carlo simulation of the photon and electron transport. The dependence of the calculated absorbed dose on the sample thickness was analysed. No energy dependence of the EPR signal on the absorbed dose in enamel was verified in the range of 37 keV-1.25 MeV. At 13 and 20 keV the EPR signal dose response was reduced by 8% probably due to sample powdering. Dose-depth profiles in enamel samples irradiated by 1.25 MeV photons in polymethylmethacrylate and aluminium build-up materials were calculated. It was concluded that secondary electron equilibrium conditions are better fulfilled for irradiation in aluminium, which makes this material preferable for calibration.     

In-situ monitoring of dental erosion in tooth enamel when exposed to soft drinks

The prevalence of dental erosion and decay in human teeth has increased dramatically in the few decades as a result of an increasing consumption of soft drinks and commercial fruit juices. A simple weighting method is described for the in-situ monitoring of dental erosion in tooth enamel when immersed in a soft drink. When compared to the conventional method, this new method is far superior in terms of accuracy of data collected and the ease of data collection in real-time. Atomic absorption results suggest that the increasing weight loss in tooth enamel during dental erosion in soft drinks can be attributed to the continuous leaching of Ca²⁺ ions, in addition to phosphorus, oxygen, and hydrogen. The potential application of this new weighing technique in other research areas is discussed.