Positive Birefringence in Non-carious Enamel

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Abstract
Areas of positive form birefringence in the cervical enamel of many teeth bear a striking relationship to the positive zone of carious lesions although the cervical areas are apparently non-carious. In polarized light when sections are immersed in glycerine or ethanol, the cervical effect is seen as a circumscribed spindle-shaped area of positive birefringence. Immersion in water abolishes the form birefringence. Imbibition with iodide solutions also abolished all evidnece of changed birefringence in these areas. X-ray studies show no decrease in radio-opacity in the region of the tooth corresponding to the area of cervical change. Further studies are in progress to determine the relationship of these areas to carious zones of positive birefringence.

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