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Acid-etch patterns on the buccal surface of human permanent teeth
R S Hobson1, A J Rugg-Gunn, T A Booth
1Child Dental Health, Newcastle Dental School, Framlington Place, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4BW, UK. r.s.hobson@ncl.ac.uk
Archives of Oral Biology
|May 17, 2002
Summary
Dental enamel etching quality varies significantly between tooth types. This study found fewer ideal etch patterns on posterior teeth, suggesting bond strength research should account for tooth type differences.
Area of Science:
- Dental Materials Science
- Enamel Surface Topography
- Orthodontic Adhesion
Background:
- Acid etching is crucial for dental material adhesion to enamel.
- Research has focused on bond strength, with less attention to etched enamel topography variations across tooth types.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically investigate the quality and quantity of acid-etch patterns on the buccal surfaces of different human permanent teeth.
- To quantify etch pattern variations among incisors, canines, premolars, and molars.
Main Methods:
- High-resolution silicone impressions of etched buccal tooth surfaces (n=266) from 29 orthodontic patients.
- Epoxy resin replicas examined via scanning electron microscopy.
- Histometric techniques and a modified Galil and Wright classification to quantify etch patterns.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in etch patterns between left/right or upper/lower teeth of the same type.
- A trend of increasing "no etch" (Type D) and decreasing "good-quality" etches (Types A & B) from anterior to posterior teeth.
- Ideal etch patterns (Type A) occupied less than 5% of the surface, with Type C (prisms not evident) dominating.
Conclusions:
- Significant differences exist in acid-etch patterns across different human permanent tooth types.
- Future bond-strength studies should standardize tooth types or include equal numbers of various tooth types for accurate results.