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Author Spotlight: Establishing an Accurate Microhardness Testing Protocol for Craniofacial Tissues
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Microhardness of bovine enamel after different fluoride application protocols
Marcia Regina Cabral Oliveira1, Pedro Henrique Cabral Oliveira1, Luiz Henrique Cabral Oliveira1
1Department of Biophotonics Applied to Health Sciences, Universidade Nove de Julho.
Dental Materials Journal
|October 10, 2018
Summary
Fluoride treatments improved enamel microhardness and mineral recovery in artificial caries. Fluoride varnish demonstrated the most uniform enamel surface topography after treatment.
Area of Science:
- Dental science
- Materials science
- Biomaterials
Background:
- Dental caries is a demineralization process affecting tooth enamel.
- Topical fluoride applications are a cornerstone of caries prevention and management.
- Different fluoride formulations vary in their delivery and efficacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of various topical fluoride agents on microhardness, mineral recovery, and enamel surface topography of artificial dental caries.
- To compare the effectiveness of acidulated phosphate fluoride gel, neutral fluoride gel, acidulated fluoride mousse, and fluoride varnish.
Main Methods:
- Artificial caries-like lesions were created on bovine enamel blocks.
- Blocks were treated with five different agents: untreated control, APG, NFG, AFM, and DFV.
- Knoop microhardness (KHN) was measured at 7, 14, and 28 days (plus 1 week post-treatment).
- Electron microscopy, confocal microscopy, and energy dispersive spectroscopy were utilized.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in microhardness and mineral recovery were observed among the groups over time (p<0.001).
- Microhardness increased after initial treatments and stabilized by 28 days.
- Fluoride varnish (DFV) resulted in the most uniform enamel surface topography compared to other agents.
Conclusions:
- Topical fluoride application effectively enhances microhardness and mineral recovery in artificial caries.
- Fluoride varnish shows superior performance in restoring enamel surface uniformity.
- The choice of fluoride agent influences the degree of enamel surface remineralization and topography.
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