[Study of enamel caries-lesion produced by artificial plaque]

The authors used the cariogenic bacteria isolated from human dental plaque to produce an artificial plaque which can produce carious lesion in vitro. Lesions on human enamel slabs produced by artificial plaque and single bacterium were observed under polarized light microscope and scanning electron microscope. The results showed that the characters of artificial carious lesions are very similar to natural enamel caries. It is very difficult to differentiate them under the microscopes. Compared with the lesions produced by single strain, the destructive fashion observed in lesions produced by artificial plaque is more similar to the changes produced by natural dental plaque.