Morphological study of demineralized dentine after caries removal using two different methods

Area of Science:

• Dental Materials Science
• Caries Management
• Adhesive Dentistry

Background:

• Caries-affected dentine is a common substrate in dental restorations.
• Surface conditioning via etching or demineralization is a critical initial step for dentine bonding.
• Understanding etchant effects on caries-affected dentine is crucial for successful adhesion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effects of phosphoric acid and polyacrylic acid on caries-affected dentine.
• To evaluate surface alterations resulting from different caries removal techniques (burs vs. Carisolv) prior to acid treatment.
• To assess the impact of these treatments on dentine surface morphology for potential influence on adhesive bond strength.

Main Methods:

• Twelve extracted carious molars were analyzed.
• Caries removal was performed using burs or Carisolv.
• Dentine samples (normal and caries-affected) were treated with phosphoric acid or polyacrylic acid.
• Surface morphology was examined using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM).

Main Results:

• Phosphoric acid induced greater intertubular microporosity and demineralization depth in caries-affected dentine.
• Polyacrylic acid treatment left a residual smear layer with less distinct demineralization.
• Carisolv-treated dentine exposed a more observable collagen network after acid treatment.

Conclusions:

• Etched normal and caries-affected dentine exhibit different surface characteristics.
• The choice of caries removal method significantly alters the caries-affected dentine surface post-acid treatment.
• These surface differences may influence the long-term durability of adhesive restorative materials.