The effect of calcium hydroxide and fluorides on human dentine

With the aid of scanning electron microscopy and microradiography, 45 teeth including 20 contralateral tooth pairs were studied to assess the effect on human dentine of (1) a 1 minute treatment with 3% NaF, (2) a dressing of Ca(OH)2 and (3) a dressing of Ca(OH)2 and CaPO3F after follow-up periods of 2-8 weeks. After NaF treatment the SEM revealed no sign of obliteration of the dentinal tubules, and on microradiograms no indication of increased density could be registered compared to an untreated control area. Under the calcium dressing the SEM revealed in 13 cases out of 20 (5 cases of 11 intrapair comparisons) a varying degree of constriction of the dentinal tubules. Constrictions varied from one tubule to another and ceased approximately 0.1 mm in the dentine. On the microradiograms no significant difference could be registered between untreated dentine and dentine treated with the calcium dressings. Dressings of Ca(OH)2 a combination of Ca(OH)2 and CaPO3F for 2 months, or a 1 minute treatment with a cavity cleaner containing 3% NaF can thus not be considered to result in a reliable obliteration of the dentinal tubules.