Permeability changes of dentine treated with titanium tetrafluoride

Area of Science:

• Dental Biomaterials
• Cariology
• Mineralized Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Dentine permeability is a critical factor in dental caries and post-operative sensitivity.
• Fluoride treatments are widely used to enhance tooth resistance to acid dissolution.
• The efficacy of different fluoride compounds in modifying dentine's acid resistance requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of titanium tetrafluoride (TiF4) on dentine permeability.
• To compare TiF4 with sodium fluoride (NaF) and acidulated phosphate fluoride (APF) in enhancing dentine's acid resistance.
• To determine the potential clinical application of TiF4 for acid resistance of dentine.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of 32 dentine discs from extracted human molars.
• Measurement of hydraulic conductance before and after smear layer formation.
• Treatment of dentine discs with NaF, APF, varying concentrations of TiF4 (1%, 0.5%, 0.1%), or de-ionised water.
• Application of 25% citric acid to treated surfaces.
• Final hydraulic conductance measurements and statistical analysis (ANOVA, Tukey's HSD).

Main Results:

• Smear layer formation significantly reduced dentine permeability.
• Fluoride or de-ionised water application did not alter hydraulic conductance on smeared surfaces.
• After acid challenge, TiF4 (1%, 0.5%, 0.1%) and APF groups exhibited significantly lower permeability than control and NaF groups.
• TiF4 demonstrated superior acid resistance compared to NaF and APF.

Conclusions:

• Titanium tetrafluoride significantly reduces dentine permeability and enhances acid resistance.
• Acidic TiF4 solutions may be clinically beneficial for creating a stable, acid-resistant dentine surface.
• TiF4 shows promise for use in dental applications requiring protection against acid erosion.