[Structural changes in the dental hard substances and jaw bones of animals due to short-duration weightlessness]

Molars, incisors and parts of corpus mandibulae from a total of 40 male, 30 female (WISTAR SPF), who were exposed for a short-time microgravity, and of their 90 d old offspring were examined. It was calculated the carbonateapatite content in the teeth and in bone in percent by infrared spectroscopy. In terms of quantitative parameters the substances of the space flight group versus the controls varied clearly. Quality and size of these changes depend from sex, investigated material and time of space flight. It can be concluded that an accommodation to the flight stress is possible without any functional disorders also in the oral system.