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Ultrastructural changes in the translucent and dark zones of early enamel caries
Author(s) -
Orams H. J.,
Phakey P. P.,
Rachinger W. A.,
Zybert J. J.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
journal of oral pathology and medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.887
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1600-0714
pISSN - 0904-2512
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0714.1980.tb01387.x
Subject(s) - demineralization , enamel paint , carious lesion , transmission electron microscopy , human tooth , lesion , dentistry , ultrastructure , electron microscope , chemistry , materials science , pathology , anatomy , biology , medicine , optics , physics , nanotechnology
Selected areas of early enamel caries (‘White spot’ lesion) in human teeth were argon‐ion‐beam thinned and examined by transmission electron microscopy. A systematic examination of areas which were histologically defined as the translucent zone and the dark zone showed that the pattern of early caries was consistent with that of demineralization of the tissue commencing with a widening of the micropores and of the inter‐rod spaces and gradually progressing to a severe destruction of the original enamel crystals, with possibly some remineralization. Observations indicate that the intercrystalline micropores and inter‐rod spaces are the pathways by which acidic agents reach the crystals causing carious dissolution.