[Pathological study of enamel caries produced by oral bacteria in vitro]

The authors used the bacterial culture method to study early enamel caries-like lesions in vitro. Pathologic changes in the lesions were observed under polarized light microscope and scanning electron microscope. The results showed that this method could simulate the destructive procedures in carious development. The destructive way and pathologic changes of the caries-like lesions were very similar to those of natural caries. Under microscope, the ultrastructures of the relatively intact layer of the enamel surfaces were already changed. The prisms in the enamel surfaces were destroyed, and dissolved to form small pores. The pores could be an important path of the carious development.