An in vivo method for microhardness measurements on human teeth

Area of Science:

• Dental science
• Biomedical engineering
• Oncology

Background:

• Dental enamel hardness is a key indicator of oral health.
• Hyposalivation (hyosialosis) following head and neck cancer radiotherapy can significantly impact oral health.
• Accurate, non-invasive methods are needed to assess enamel status and salivary function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate a novel non-destructive, in vivo method for measuring enamel hardness.
• To compare enamel hardness in healthy individuals with patients experiencing hyposalivation or abnormal oral acid concentration.
• To explore the potential application of this method in evaluating salivary gland function post-radiotherapy.

Main Methods:

• Development of a non-destructive, in vivo device for direct enamel hardness measurement.
• Testing the device on 39 healthy students to establish normal values.
• Comparison of measurements between the healthy group and five patients with conditions affecting salivary function or oral acidity.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in enamel hardness were observed between healthy individuals and patients with hyposalivation or abnormal oral acid concentration (p < 0.001).
• The method demonstrated sensitivity to variations in oral conditions.
• Normal enamel hardness values were established for a healthy cohort.

Conclusions:

• The described in vivo enamel hardness measurement is a viable tool for clinical assessment.
• The method shows promise for evaluating the extent of salivary gland inactivation after radiation therapy.
• It can also be used to assess the efficacy of saliva substitutes in managing hyposalivation effects.