Correlation between micro-hardness and mineral content in healthy human enamel

作者：Anna Akkus, Daniel Karasik, Renato Roperto · 发表于：Journal of Clinical and Experimental Dentistry · 年份：2017 · DOI：10.4317/jced.53345 · 被引用次数：23 · 研究领域：Bone and Dental Protein Studies、Dental Health and Care Utilization、Dental Erosion and Treatment

BACKGROUND: Enamel is the hardest and the stiffest tissue in the human body. The enamel undergoes multidirectional stresses, withstands multimillion chewing cycles, all while protecting the internal dentin and pulp from damage due to mechanical overload and exposure to the harsh chemical environment of the mouth. Raman spectroscopy allows to study enamel mineral content in a non-destructive and site-specific way. While Raman spectroscopy has been applied in other studies to assess tooth mineralization, there are no studies that examine the relationship between micro-hardness and mineral content of the untreated enamel. An understanding of this relationship is extremely important in a clinical context. The effect of various agents on enamel hardness was investigated, though the relationship between healthy enamel mineral content and micro-hardness remains obscure. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty human incisor teeth were obtained in compliance with the NIH guidelines and imaged site-specifically with a Raman microscope and evaluated with a Brinell hardness measurement device. The front portion of each tooth was divided into apical, medium and cervical regions and subsequently imaged with a Raman microscope in these three locations. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Enamel, raman spectroscopy, micro-hardness, extracted teeth.