The permeability of dentine from bovine incisors in vitro

The permeability of coronal dentine was investigated by measuring the hydraulic conductance of dentine discs. Reductions in dentine thickness from the enamel side of disc resulted in a greater increase in permeability than reductions from the pulpal side. Scanning electron microscopy revealed fewer dentinal tubules with smaller diameters in superficial dentine than in deep dentine. The permeability of coronal incisor bovine dentine is six to eight times less than that of unerupted coronal human third molar dentine but similar to that of human root dentine.