Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2026
06:16
Microhardness Measurements on Tooth and Alveolar Bone in Rodent Oral Disease Models
Published on: April 26, 2024
Dental enamel dissolution after alendronate treatment.
Maria G Gandolfi1, Cesare Nucci, Carlo Prati
1Center of Biomineralogy, Crystallography and Biomaterials, San Donato, Italy. mgiovanna.gandolfi@unibo.it
American Journal of Dentistry
|October 3, 2007
Summary
Alendronate treatment significantly reduced dental enamel demineralization in vitro at acidic and neutral pH levels. This bisphosphonate showed protective effects against enamel dissolution, except at a pH of 9.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Dental Research
- Mineralized Tissue Engineering
Background:
- Dental enamel dissolution, or demineralization, is a key factor in caries development.
- Bisphosphonates are known for their ability to inhibit mineral dissolution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of alendronate, a bisphosphonate, in preventing human dental enamel dissolution in an in vitro setting.
- To assess the impact of different pH levels on alendronate's protective effect on enamel.
Main Methods:
- Human dental enamel samples were subjected to topical treatment with alendronate solutions at varying pH levels (5.0, 7.4, and 9.0).
- Enamel dissolution was quantified by measuring calcium ion release in a lactic acid solution (0.1M, pH 4.5) over a 45-minute period.
Main Results:
- Alendronate treatment at pH 5.0 and pH 7.4 significantly reduced enamel demineralization compared to untreated controls.
- No statistically significant protective effect against demineralization was observed when enamel was treated with alendronate at pH 9.0.
Conclusions:
- Topical alendronate application demonstrates potential as an anti-demineralization agent for dental enamel, particularly under acidic to neutral conditions.
- The efficacy of alendronate in protecting enamel against dissolution is pH-dependent, with reduced effectiveness at alkaline pH.
