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Three‐dimensional study of human dental fissure enamel by synchrotron X‐ray microtomography
Author(s) -
Dowker Stephanie E. P.,
Elliott James C.,
Davis Graham R.,
Wilson Rory M.,
Cloetens Peter
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
european journal of oral sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.802
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1600-0722
pISSN - 0909-8836
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0722.2006.00315.x
Subject(s) - fissure , enamel paint , x ray microtomography , demineralization , mineralogy , materials science , chemistry , composite material , optics , physics
The three‐dimensional morphology of human tooth fissures and the quantification of mineral distribution in fissure enamel are pertinent to the development and diagnosis of caries. Synchrotron X‐ray microtomography was used to measure linear attenuation coefficients (at 25 keV) at high spatial resolution with a volume‐imaging element (cubic voxel) of 4.9 × 4.9 × 4.9 µ m 3 in a block from a human premolar that included part of a stained fissure. From the linear attenuation coefficient, the mineral concentration, expressed as g HAp cm −3 (where HAp is stoichiometric hydroxyapatite), was calculated. The mean mineral concentration in bulk enamel was 2.84 g HAp cm −3 . Well‐defined regions (1.5–2.6 g HAp cm −3 ), extending up to ≈ 130 µ m from the base of some narrower lengths of the fissure and up to ≈ 50 µ m deep from the fissure surface, were attributed to hypomineralization. Other regions of low mineral concentration, some (1.4–2.3 g HAp cm −3 ) lying within the expected course of the fissure base and some (2.2–2.7 g HAp cm −3 ) deep to the pit, were also considered to be of developmental origin. However, a diffuse distribution of low mineral concentrations (2.2–2.7 g HAp cm −3 ) in the pit walls was attributed primarily to demineralization from caries. The fissure contained heterogeneous material (≤ 0.5 g HAp cm −3 ) exhibiting partial mineralization.