Visualization of enamel rods in hunter-schreger bands and enamel in incipient lesion under polarized and light microscopy

Abstract

Background: An enamel rod is the basic unit of tooth enamel measuring 4 μm wide to 8 μm high and is tightly packed, highly organized mass of hydroxyapatite crystals, which are hexagonal in shape and provide rigidity to the rods and strengthen the enamel. In cross section, it is best compared to a keyhole with the top, or head, oriented toward the crown of the tooth and the bottom, or tail, oriented toward the root of the tooth. Enamel rods are found in rows along the tooth. The arrangement of crystals within each enamel rod is highly complex and gives rise to Hunter–Schreger Bands. This article presents enamel rods in Hunter–Schreger Bands under light microscopy and polarized microscopy which has rarely been reported with additional note on incipient lesion visualized under polarized microscopy. Aim: 1. To visualize enamel rods in Hunter–Schreger Bands under light microscopy and polarized microscopy. 2. Visualization of Zones of enamel in incipient lesion under polarized microscopy. Materials and Methods: Two ground sections were prepared. One normal (without lesion) and the other one was having incipient lesion (white spot). Normal tooth was visualized under light and polarized microscopy under x4,x10,x40,x100 under a light microscope, Leica research microscope (Leica application suite [LES]core version 3.8) of Leica research microscope (Model No. DM1000 LED, Leica Microsystems GmbH Ernst-Leitz-Stra e17–37 | 35,578 Wetzlar [Germany]) and tooth with incipient lesion was visualized under polarized microscopy. Conclusion: Basic mechanism of Hunter Schreger bands can be studied at light microscopy. Zones of enamel in incipient lesion too, was clearly evident under polarized microscopy.

Keywords

• enamel rods
• hunter–schreger bands
• light microscopy
• polarized microscopy