Mineral density and mineral loss after demineralization at various locations in human root dentine. A longitudinal...

From intact roots of human cuspids 83 dentine specimens were cut. The specimens with known location and thickness were embedded in a holder of polymethyl methacrylate and microradiographic images were made. From the longitudinal microradiography (LMR) measurements the average mineral density (kg/m3) of the sound human dentine specimens was calculated. All specimens were subsequently demineralized using a constant composition method in a solution containing 3 mM CaCl2.2H2O, 3 mM KH2PO4, 50 mM CH3COOH and 0.2 ppm fluoride as NaF at pH = 5 for 24 h. After demineralization the LMR measurements were repeated to calculate the amount of mineral lost. The data show that there is no correlation between: (1) the location of a dentine specimen in the root and the mineral density of sound human dentine, (2) the location of a dentine specimen in the root and the degree of demineralization after 24 h and (3) the mineral density of sound human dentine and the demineralization degree. This information is useful for future in vitro and in vivo studies on human roots.