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Ultrastructural study of calculus-enamel and calculus-root interfaces.
Ramin Rohanizadeh1, Racquel Z Legeros
1Department of Physiology, Bone and Skin Research Group, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. raminr@physiol.usyd.edu.au
Archives of Oral Biology
|December 16, 2004
Summary
Dental calculus removal is difficult due to strong bonding and crystal fusion at the tooth interface. Fractures occur within the calculus, not at the bond, explaining challenges in complete calculus removal.
Area of Science:
- Dental research
- Biomaterials science
- Microscopy
Background:
- Dental calculus attachment to enamel or cementum impacts removal difficulty.
- Understanding ultrastructural features of the calculus-tooth interface is key for developing effective calculus removal strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the ultrastructural characteristics of the calculus-tooth interface.
- To correlate these characteristics with the occurrence of calculus fracture during removal attempts.
Main Methods:
- Utilized scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy.
- Examined eight human molars with mature supragingival and subgingival calculus.
Main Results:
- SEM revealed fractures consistently occurred within the calculus, not at the interface.
- TEM confirmed intimate connections and epitaxial growth between calculus and tooth apatite crystals.
- FT-IR indicated differences in organic and collagen concentrations at the calculus-cementum interface.
Conclusions:
- Strong chemical bonding and epitaxial growth between calculus and tooth apatite crystals contribute to difficult calculus removal.
- Cohesive bonding leads to fractures within the calculus, hindering complete removal, especially from cementum or dentin.