MICROCHANNELS IN THE SURFACE ZONE OF ARTIFICIALLY PRODUCED CARIES-LIKE ENAMEL LESIONS

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 9  (3) , 297-314
Abstract
In the surfaces zones of artificial carious lesions, tiny microchannels, .apprx. 0.5-1.5 .mu.m in diameter and 100 .mu.m in length, were observed. The mineral components seem to be concentrated at the lumen borders, whereas the organic components have disappeared or are disorganized. The channels mentioned probably are involved in the lesion development and play an important role in diffusion (transport) processes taking place between the subsurface lesion and the liquid phase outside the lesion. The microchannels originate in prisms in the perikymata of the surface enamel. They extend in the direction of the Hunter-Schreger bands, mainly in connection with diazones. No relationship could be found between the microchannels and the direction of the prism sheaths. In initial artificial lesion formation the enamel structure plays an important role.