Microscopic appearance of enamel white-spot lesions after acid etching.

Abstract

Ultrastructural changes in surface characteristics of enamel white-spot lesions were compared with changes in the adjacent clinically sound enamel after they were etched with 30% phosphoric acid. Ten human permanent first molars exhibiting natural white-spot lesions were used as study specimens. The lesion surfaces and their adjacent sound enamel were etched with 30% phosphoric acid for 60 seconds. Specimens were then evaluated by polarized light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy. The acid etching produced a porous surface on both the white-spot lesion and the surrounding sound enamel. However, the lesion surface appeared to be more resistant to acid and dissolved less than adjacent enamel. This difference in acid solubility produced a steplike appearance between a white-spot lesion and its adjacent enamel surface. Energy-dispersive spectroscopy demonstrated no difference in relative calcium-phosphorus ratios among the acid-etched white-spot lesion, acid-etched sound enamel, and unetched sound enamel.

• Authors: C Q Lee, Z Shey, C M Cobb
• Journal: Quintessence international (Berlin, Germany : 1985) (Quintessence Int) Vol. 26 Issue 4 Pg. 279-84 (Apr 1995) ISSN: 0033-6572 [Print] Germany
• PMID: 7568748 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Phosphoric Acids
• Phosphorus
• phosphoric acid
• Calcium

Topics

• Acid Etching, Dental
• Calcium (analysis)
• Dental Caries (pathology)
• Dental Enamel (chemistry, drug effects, pathology, ultrastructure)
• Dental Enamel Solubility
• Humans
• Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
• Microscopy, Polarization
• Molar
• Phosphoric Acids (pharmacology)
• Phosphorus (analysis)
• Random Allocation
• Spectrum Analysis (methods)
• Surface Properties
• Tooth Demineralization (pathology)