Remineralization of natural carious lesions with a glass ionomer cement

Remineralization of carious lesions at the histological level is of great benefit since this will arrest lesion progression. The ability of glass ionomer cement (GIC) to (1) release fluoride it originally contains and (2) release "loosely bound" fluoride acquired from its surroundings have been previously demonstrated. This in vitro study examined the potential for caries remineralization if the lesion was placed near a GIC. Sixteen mesiodistal sections were cut through extracted deciduous molars exhibiting approximal white spot lesions. Sections were "linked" to a plastic tooth restored with a GIC to simulate the abutting surfaces of adjacent teeth. Lesions were photographed in water under polarized light initially and after one- and two-week exposures to artificial saliva. The photographs were digitized, lesion body outlined, and the area corresponding to the body of the lesion was determined to provide a comparison over time. Sixty-two percent of the sections showed a quantitative reduction in lesion body size by an average of 43% after the first week and an additional 14% reduction after the second week. All but two sections demonstrated a qualitative change thereby illustrating that a reduction in pore volume size of the lesion body had also occurred. Therefore, fluoride released from a GIC has the potential to enhance remineralization of the early carious lesion in vitro. The greatest remineralization occurred during the first week of artificial saliva exposure.