Treatment of dentin with stannous fluoride--SEM and electron microprobe study.

The effect of SnF2-treatment of dentin surfaces was investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron microprobe analysis. Human dentin was treated with aqueous SnF2 solutions of concentrations varying from 1 to 10%. The treatment periods lasted for 1, 5, 10, or 60 min. Both tin and fluoride were identified on the surfaces. The concentration varied depending on the extensiveness of the treatment. Immersion in 1 M KOH for 15 h removed both tin and fluoride from the surfaces. This reaction was not observed after immersion in H2O for the same time period. Examination of the SnF2-treated dentin surfaces showed a dense layer of globular particles and in addition some larger particles. The dentinal tubules were totally covered even after the treatment with the lowest concentration of SnF2. Deposition of tin- and fluoride-containing globules on dentin surfaces may be of clinical interest. This layer may have importance both for the caries resistance of dentin and for hypersensitivity reactions.