Interfacial free energy as a driving force for pellicle formation in the oral cavity: Anin vivostudy in beagle dogs

Abstract
With the aim of establishing the role of interfacial free energy in pellicle formation in vivo, surface free energies of five polymers, dentine and enamel were determined after j, 2 and 48 hours exposure to the oral environment of beagle dogs. After exposure for j hour in the oral cavity of the dogs, the surface free energies of the substrata, originally ranging from 22 to 134 mJ‐m”; 2. converged to values between 60 and 100 mJ‐m−2. Thermodynamically this is a very favourable situation, as the solid‐liquid interfacial free energy during exposure is minimal for this range of substratum surface free energies. Changes in the adsorbed protein film most likely occurring during the later stages of the adsorption process, have not been observed from changes in surface free energy. It is therefore concluded that only the initial stages of protein adsorption and pellicle formation are interfacial free energy influenced.

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