Dentine caries in vivo. Combined scanning electron microscopic and microradiographic investigation.

Dentine subjected to an in vivo demineralization challenge by plaque looses substantial amounts of mineral and is expected to change its ultrastructure. Results are presented of a combined microradiography and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) study on in vivo demineralized human dentine. The tissue was first demineralized in vivo under plaque for 3 weeks and subsequently analyzed by microradiography and SEM. In 6 participants dentine was positioned in a full prosthesis just under M2 in such a way that the outer surface of the tissue was 1.5 mm lower than the surface of the prosthesis; plaque accumulation takes place in the recessed area. A special technique allows SEM observations (at a given distance from the outer surface) on broken thin sections of demineralized dentine with a mineral content determined by microradiography. The results show that the ultrastructure of the dentine changes during severe demineralization. The main ultrastructural features are, however, still largely intact, even if half of the mineral originally present has been lost. In dentine with a mineral content of about 25 vol%, the dentinal tubules are enlarged by about 30%. In vivo demineralized dentine looses mineral in substantial amounts both from intertubular and from peritubular regions.