CHANGES IN VALUES MEASURED WITH A LASER FLUORESCENCE SYSTEM FOR ENAMEL AND DENTIN ETHCED FOR DIFFERNT TIME INTERVALS - pilot study.

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the presented in vitro study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the laser fluorescent device DIAGNOdent in measuring changes in the level of mineralization of intact enamel surfaces etched for different time intervals and intact dentin etched for 30 sec. Material and methods: The study was performed on extracted human teeth. DIAGNOcam was used to measure the values of laser fluorescence of intact enamel and dentinal surfaces. Then the samples were treated with 37% H2PO3 etchant for 5, 30 and 60 sec for enamel surfaces and 30 sec for dentinal. Teeth were rinsed, dried and measured again with DIAGNOdent. Statistical analysis was done using statistical software SPSS 16.0 (SPSS Inc.). Results: After etching the enamel surfaces for 5, 30 and 60 seconds an average increase of 0,5 (0.62-1.1) was detected. The detected average values of increase of laser fluorescence for the enamel were 0.5 for 5 sec. ethching, 0.62 for 30 sec and 1.1 for 60 sec. The average increase for dentine was 0.26. Conclusions: Based on the limitations of the conducted study it may be concluded that changes in the degree of mineralization of tooth structures can be detected by using DIAGNOdent. Enamel etching for 5 sec and 30 sec lead to a comparative degree of change in the laser fluorescence. The obtained values after 60 sec. of etching revealed an almost double increase. The measured changes in enamel after etching are better pronounced than that in dentin.

Keywords

• etching
• DIAGNOdent
• demineralization
• laser fluorescence