MICROHARDNESS AND LESION DEPTH STUDIES OF ARTIFICIAL CARIES LESIONS - A COMPARISON OF GELATIN AND HEC BASED SYSTEMS

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 8  (2) , 175-181
Abstract
Microhardness measurements with the indenter load perpendicular to the artificial carious enamel surfaces can be employed to investigate lesion depth in de- and remineralization or fluoridation studies in vitro or in vivo. In this study, microhardness and lesion depth studies were made on bovine enamel subjected to demineralizing solutions on a gelatin base at pH = 4.5 and 37.degree. C. The parameters studied were load, demineralization period and dialysis of the gelatin. All experimental data are compared with lesions formed in acidified 6% HEC (hydroxyethyl cellulose) solutions under identical conditions. Lesion formation and mechanical properties of artificially carious enamel are apparently comparable for noncharged HEC and charged gelatin based systems. Because of the higher sensitivity, lesions formed in HEC are preferred for lesion depth determinations by means of microhardness indentations. Gelatin and HEC based systems show a lesion depth proportional to the square root of the demineralization period. If gelatin or HEC is dialyzed 1st and subsequently used in the demineralizing buffers, no subsurface lesions are formed, but acid-softening of the enamel apparently takes place.