人氟斑牙釉质表面结构及漂白后改变的电镜观察

目的:目前国内外对氟斑牙的研究主要集中在流行病学调查和临床疗效分析,对其漂白后釉质表面脱矿程度的研究却鲜有报道.观察不同程度人氟斑牙电镜下微观结构的特点,了解冷光美白对不同程度人氟斑牙釉质表面的影响,探讨冷光美白对重度氟斑牙的安全性.方法:选择因牙周病拔除的完整无龋坏的正常牙10颗,人各型氟斑牙50颗,选取颊侧典型区域制备标本.氟斑牙标本按Dean氏分类法分为轻、中、重度3组,正常牙标本作为对照组.各组标本随机分为4个亚组,A组:不做任何处理;B组:釉质表面蚀刻;C组:釉质剖面蚀刻;D组:釉质表面冷光美白,扫描电镜下观察标本的表面形貌.结果:轻度氟斑牙釉柱间隙增宽,少量晶体排列紊乱,晶间隙增宽.重度氟斑牙釉质表面凹凸不平,呈弹坑状或蜂窝状,釉柱轮廓不清,晶体排列紊乱甚至消失.中度氟斑牙居于二者之间.冷光美白后,正常牙和氟斑牙釉质表面低倍镜下均未见明显改变,高倍镜下散在浅碟状凹坑;中重度氟斑牙还伴有大量粟粒状小孔.结论:随着氟斑牙严重程度的加重,釉质表层损害程度加重.冷光美白造成釉质表层的轻微脱矿,氟斑牙稍重于正常牙.从结构和漂白后釉质表面脱矿程度方面进一步探讨氟斑牙的表面结构特点,从而为氟斑牙的临床治疗提供基础数据.     

半导体激光联合CPP-ACP对乳牙早期釉质龋再矿化的作用研究

目的:探讨应用半导体激光联合酪蛋白磷酸肽钙磷复合体(CPP-ACP)对乳牙早期釉质龋再矿化的作用。方法:选择下颌离体乳前牙制备人工龋模型40例,将其随机分为5组:脱矿组(A)、单纯激光组(B)、CPP-ACP组(C)、先激光后CPP-ACP组(D)、先CPP-ACP后激光组(E)。运用X射线能谱分析技术分析五组样本的钙和磷摩尔百分比变化,运用扫描电子显微镜观察牙釉质表面形态的变化。结果:C组、D组、E组的Ca、P摩尔百分比含量明显高于A组(P0.05),而D组、E组再矿化程度高于C组(P0.05),B组Ca、P摩尔百分比与A组比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。扫描电镜观察显示再矿化处理后除对照组试件外,其余3组试件均可见矿物质沉积。结论:激光协同CPP-ACP能有效促进脱矿乳牙的再矿化,其再矿化能力远大于单纯使用CPP-ACP,单纯使用激光在本次实验中未能体现出再矿化能力。     

为什么会夜间磨牙,如何防治?

问:为什么会夜间磨牙,如何防治?　　答:睡眠中,咀嚼肌的无意识收缩可产生磨牙,这是一种无咀嚼目的的咀嚼运动,是口腔的一种异常功能,多见于幼儿。正常人在进食和讲话时也会有磨牙现象,因为进食时,牙与牙之间有一层食物作“垫子”,同时还有适量的唾液起滑润作用,使牙齿不易磨损。但是在夜间磨牙,口内既无食物,唾液的分泌也显著减少,牙齿间形成“干磨”,若经常出现,则牙冠部分的磨损可能会相当严重,牙釉质和牙本质的损坏将会导致不同程度的敏感症(俗称酸倒牙)。过度的咀嚼还可能导致牙周围的组织破坏,使牙松动移位,甚至引起牙龈萎缩或牙槽骨损…     

鸟类仍保留牙齿发生定位的分子机制

众所周知现代鸟类不长牙齿,而其侏罗纪和白垩纪的祖先则长有牙齿,然而,在发育中鸡胚口腔中却残留着牙齿发生的原基,在形态上与哺乳动物臼牙牙原基极为相似,现代鸟类的胚胎组织是否具有牙齿发育的潜能,目前已有不少研究者对这一问题进行了探讨,Kollar和Fisher等人将鸡胚胎下颌靠近口腔面的上皮与小鼠的牙间充质进行组织重组实验,并植入小鼠眼球中作intraocular grafting培养,他们的实验结果表明重组后的组织块可以发育形成牙齿的结构,包括形成成釉细胞（ameloblast),并能分泌釉质,Kollar等认为在进化进程中鸟类牙齿的消失并非由于口腔上皮中有关釉质合成的遗传信息的丢失,而是牙齿发育过程中的组织之间所必须的相互作用（次级诱导）受阻而造成的。Lemus和Fuenzalida等人的实验结果进一步证实了这一结论。他们用鹌鹑胚胎躯体的上皮组织与蜥蚁或兔子的牙间充质重组后,用鸡胚绒毛进行培养,得到了发育很好的牙齿结构,发现鹌鹑的上皮细胞也可以分形成釉质细胞,并分泌牙釉质,Cummings将鹌鹑胚胎的牙上皮组织与小鼠胚胎的牙间充质组织重组后也得到类似的结果。根据小白鼠牙齿发育中已知的调控分子信号通路,我们曾对鸟类不长牙齿的分子机制进行了研究,我们的研究发现鸟类牙组织仍保留与哺乳动物早期牙齿发生相类似的信号通路,能表达相关的基因并产生相应的信号分子,鸟类牙齿发育停滞在牙原基时期的可能原因是Bmp4不在预定牙上皮组织中表达,导致发育信号的传递受阻,因此,鸟类胚胎的牙原基组织是一个很好的实验模型,用于研究上皮与间充质组织之间的相互作用,导致器官发育的分子机制。在本研究中,我们又进一步对鸡胚发育中与牙原基定位的有关分子信号通路进行了研究,研究证实了,与小白鼠的发育相似,在鸡胚发育中,在任何可见的牙齿发生了形态变化出现之前,Pax9作为预定牙间充质的标记基因（Fig.1),利用体外器官培养,组织重组和原位杂交等方法,证实了Pax9在下颚间充质中的定位表达是由其上方上皮中的两种信号分子所决定（Fig.2),其中FGF8诱导Pax9的表达（Fig.3).而BMP4则抑制该表达（Fig.4)。通过这两种信号之间的诘抗作用决定了间充质中Pax9的表达部位,亦即牙原基的发生部位,因此,与小白鼠相似,在鸟类中牙原基的发生部位是由两类具有诘抗作用的信号分子所决定的,本研究结果进一步证实了在鸟类胚胎发育过程中仍保留与牙齿发育有关的早期信号通路。     

鸟类仍保留牙齿发生定位的分子机制(英文)

众所周知现代鸟类不长牙齿,而其侏罗纪和白垩纪的祖先则长有牙齿。然而,在发育中鸡胚口腔中却残留着牙齿发生的原基,在形态上与哺乳动物臼牙牙原基极为相似。现代鸟类的胚胎组织是否具有牙齿发育的潜能,目前已有不少研究者对这一问题进行了探讨。Kollar和Fisher 等人将鸡胚胎下颌靠近口腔面的上皮与小鼠的牙间充质进行组织重组实验,并植入小鼠眼球中作intraocular grafting培养。他们的实验结果表明重组后的组织块可以发育形成牙齿的结构,包括形成成釉细胞(ameloblast),并能分泌釉质。Kollar等认为在进化过程中鸟类牙齿的消失并非由于口腔上皮中有关釉质合成的遗传信息的丢失,而是牙齿发育过程中的组织之间所必须的相互作用(次级诱导)受阻而造成的。Lemus和Fuenzalida等人的实验结果进一步证实了这一结论。他们用鹌鹑胚胎躯体的上皮组织与蜥蚁或兔子的牙间充质重组后,用鸡胚绒毛膜法进行培养,得到了发育很好的牙齿结构。发现鹌鹑的上皮细胞也可以分化形成釉质细胞,并分泌牙釉质。Cummings 将鹌鹑胚胎的牙上皮组织与小鼠胚胎的牙间充质组织重组后也得到类似的结果。根据小白鼠牙齿发育中已知的调控分子信号通路,我们曾对鸟类不长牙齿的分子机制进行了研究。我们的研究发现鸟类牙胚组织仍保留     

上颌第一前磨牙三维模型的建立与研究

目的：建立上颌第一前磨牙三维模型,以辅助牙体解剖学数字化教学和指导临床根管治疗术。方法：对人离体上颌第一前磨牙通过ConebeamCT扫描,获得DICOM格式影像,将获得的影像定位后利用Mimicsl0．0三维重建软件采集牙釉质、牙本质及髓腔的点数据,然后将采集到的点数据导入到MagicslO．0软件进行面网格化,将网格化后的图像标本进行光滑处理后保存,再次利用MimicslO．0三维重建软件进行数据处理,最终获得清晰的牙体及根管系统三维立体图像。结果：准确的建立了包含牙釉质、牙本质、牙髓腔的三维立体模型。结论：本实验方法建立的上颌第一前磨牙的三维模型,具有极高的真实性和精确性,对辅助教学、指导临床根管治疗都具有重要意义。为牙体解剖教学和口腔临床应用提供了一种简捷而精确的建模方法。     

有性克隆动物

克隆动物是多种新型生物技术结合的产物。它不同于向受精卵内转移目的基因或部分DNA的基因工程．它是把细胞核转移至卵胞质体内,培育新型生物品种的细胞工程技术。现在人们可用早早期胚胎细胞的核（Zn）作为供体,移植至卵胞质体内形成克隆动物。近10年来,我国已先后制备成了克隆猪、牛、羊等多种克隆动物,最近美国制备成了克隆猴。不少学者据此认为受精卵分裂至32个细胞或64个细胞的早早期胚胎细胞为全能性细胞。这种实验方法和有性生殖存在明显差别,它不是精子与卵结合形成的产物,但从细胞分化的角度来看,早早期胚胎细胞同受精卵…     

兔关节软骨细胞体外三维培养条件的优化

实验使用海藻酸钠水凝胶作为细胞支架.模拟软骨细胞体内生长的三维环境,研究了体外三维培养条件下,不同浓度的胎牛血清(FBS)和硒酸复合液(ITS)体系对兔透明软骨细胞(hyaline cartilage)的牛长、增殖和细胞外基质分泌活动的影响.结果 表明,三维模式培养21天,透明软骨细胞仍然具有较好的增殖活性.在硒酸复合液及低浓度血清时,细胞未去分化,保持分泌Ⅱ型胶原(Collagen Ⅱ)和软骨聚集蛋白聚糖(Aggrecan)的能力,与之比较,高浓度胎牛血清(10%)培养条件下,在21天开始细胞去分化,即硒酸复合液在一定的血清浓度下有助于维持软骨细胞生长、增殖,避免了软骨细胞受高浓度血清影响而去分化.     

紫膜在含水凝胶中的定向和状态

用几种光谱学方法研究了紫膜凝胶的定向度、生色团视黄醛的状态以及其光循环中间产物M的动力学过程。结果表明:用通常采用的制备方法所得到的紫膜凝胶虽然能得到光电响应信号,但其定向度并不理想,生色团视黄醛的构象受到较大扰动,光循环中间产物M的产出及衰减也受到抑制,部分样品甚至由于其视黄醛的脱落而完全失去颜色,其质子泵功能也随之丧失。这说明虽然紫膜凝胶是目前研究紫膜质子泵机理(光电响应测量)和构造分子电子器件较好的和有希望的人工膜系统之一,但由于该系统对紫膜结构和功能的扰动仍然较大,紫膜的定向较难控制,所以,我们仍需在凝胶的形成体系及方法的改进上作大量工作。     

原位可注射壳聚糖基温敏水凝胶的制备及其在预防ESD术后食管狭窄中分阶段释药应用研究

摘要 目的：构建一种可以分阶段释放药物的原位可注射水凝胶，通过直接注射在ESD（Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection，内镜黏膜下剥离术）术后伤口处，形成水凝胶敷料，起到保护伤口的作用。同时凝胶中的两种药物通过分阶段释放的方式，更好地促进伤口的无瘢痕愈合，为ESD术后食管狭窄的预防提供一种新的参考方案。方法：在壳聚糖/β-甘油磷酸钠（CS/β-GP）温敏水凝胶的体系中加入聚多巴胺（PDA），制备壳聚糖/β-甘油磷酸钠/聚多巴胺（CS/?β-GP/PDA）水凝胶。通过在载药水凝胶中加入聚乙二醇-聚乳酸-羟基乙酸（PEG-PLGA）纳米载药微粒制备CS/β-GP/PDA/NPs双载药水凝胶，通过两种载药体系的复合，实现药物的分阶段释放。通过流变学实验测定CS/β-GP、CS/β-GP/PDA、CS/β-GP/PDA/NPs凝胶体系的相转变温度以及凝胶强度。通过高效液相色谱法检测CS/β-GP/PDA/NPs水凝胶中两种药物的释放动力学特征。通过CCK-8细胞增殖实验评价CS/β-GP/PDA、CS/β-GP/PDA/NPs温敏水凝胶的生物相容性。在体外猪食管中，模拟ESD术后创口，通过内镜辅助将水凝胶母液注射在伤口处，并通过内镜观察水凝胶的凝胶状态。结果：得到了粘附性显著增强的壳聚糖/β-甘油磷酸钠/聚多巴胺（CS/β-GP/PDA）凝胶体系。流变学实验证明聚多巴胺（PDA）的加入可以显著降低水凝胶的凝胶温度，缩短原位成胶时间。CCK-8实验显示CS/β-GP/PDA、CS/β-GP/PDA/NPs凝胶体系无潜在的细胞毒性。在体外猪食管模拟实验中，将其凝胶母液注射在伤口处后，可原位形成凝胶，且凝胶贴合伤口，具有较强的粘附性。通过体外释药速率测定，验证了CS/β-GP/PDA/NPs水凝胶中所载两种药物释放速率存在明显差异，可实现药物的分阶段释放。结论：设计的CS/β-GP/PDA/NPs凝胶体系适用于ESD术后的伤口修复，并能够实现分阶段释药，对于预防ESD术后食管狭窄具有潜在的应用价值。     

Detecting demineralization of enamel and cementum after gamma irradiation using radiographic densitometry

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of radiographic densitometry in detecting the early demineralization of human enamel and cementum in irradiated and non-irradiated teeth. Sixty extracted teeth were divided into two groups: irradiated group and non-irradiated group. After irradiation, the groups were subjected to demineralization–remineralization (PH) cycling. Radiographic densitometric measurements (gray values) of a selected area of interest in the enamel and in the cementum of each tooth were performed at baseline and after PH cycling. After PH cycling, there was a significant reduction in gray values for both groups. The difference between “baseline” and “after PH cycling” values represents the reduction in the mineral content of the hard tissue, i.e., the demineralization. Results show that the demineralization of irradiated tooth enamel and cementum was significantly higher compared to that of non-irradiated tissues as determined by gray-level values. It is concluded that densitometric measurements by means of digital radiographs allow for the detection of demineralization of enamel and cementum, and can be used successfully for diagnosis of the early carious lesions in patients who received head and neck radiotherapy. This will allow implementation of remineralizing therapy and avoid the risk of progression of radiation caries. Furthermore, it is concluded that gamma irradiation with typical therapeutic doses for head and neck carcinoma is a direct cause of demineralization of tooth enamel and cementum.     

Phase Transformations in a Human Tooth Tissue at the Initial Stage of Caries

The aim of the paper is to study phase transformations in solid tissues of the human teeth during the development of fissure caries by Raman and fluorescence microspectroscopy. The study of the areas with fissure caries confirmed the assumption of the formation of a weak interaction between phosphate apatite enamel and organic acids (products of microorganisms). The experimental results obtained with by Raman microspectroscopy showed the formation of dicalcium phosphate dihydrate - CaHPO₄-2H₂O in the area of mural demineralization of carious fissure. A comparative analysis of structural and spectroscopic data for the intact and carious enamel shows that emergence of a more soluble phase - carbonate-substituted hydroxyapatite - is typical for the initial stage of caries. It is shown that microareas of dental hard tissues in the carious fissure due to an emerging misorientation of apatite crystals have a higher fluorescence yield than the area of the intact enamel. These areas can be easily detected even prior to a deep demineralization (white spot stage) for the case of irreversibly changed organomineral complex and intensive removal of the mineral component.     

Effect of hydration on assessment of early enamel lesion using swept‐source optical coherence tomography

Establishing reproducible methodologies for assessment of early enamel lesions using optical coherence tomography (OCT) appears to be challenging. This in vitro study longitudinally evaluated the subsurface enamel lesion progression after 3, 9 and 15 days by cross‐sectional scanning using 1310 nm centered swept‐source OCT (SS‐OCT) under hydrated and dry conditions. The positive difference between the depth‐integrated OCT signals at dry and hydrated conditions were calculated and adopted as dehydration parameter (DH). A linear regression was found between DH and the square root of demineralization time (R² = 0.99). Significant differences were found in DH between sound and demineralized enamel, and between different periods of demineralization (p < 0.001). Hydration state affects the reflectivity of demineralized porous enamel, and the effect can be potentially used for assessment of early enamel lesion using OCT. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Demineralization and Remineralization of Root Surface Caries

Although enamel, cementum and dentin all develop carious lesions in roughly the same manner there are significant differences between enamel and the other two tissues. While early enamel lesions are white, root surface lesions in cementum or dentin are light brown or yellow. The color probably arises from extrinsic stain materials, and it is possible that very early, actively forming lesions are colorless. Cementum and dentin often acquire a hypermineralized surface when first exposed to the oral environment. When caries begins to form, this layer can enlarge or disappear. Therefore, it is possible to have lesions with hypermineralized surface layers, hypomineralized surface layers, or no surface layer. Hypermineralization can also occur deeply within a lesion, probably as a result of remineralization. When this occurs the lumen of the tubules fill with mineral and the crystals within the lesion body become larger. Fluoride is readily taken up by carious root tissues and contributes to remineralization. Remineralization of artificial root surfaces after treatment with monofluorophosphate has been shown. In these lesions much of the newly acquired mineral was found near the surface but some was also found in the lesion body.     

An In Vitro Study of the Effect of Aluminum and the Combined Effect of Strontium, Aluminum, and Fluoride Elements on Early Enamel Carious Lesions

The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of aluminum and of combined strontium, aluminum, and fluoride treatments on enamel demineralization and remineralization. During a 6-day pH-cycling protocol, pre-softened bovine enamel slabs were immersed twice daily for 1 min in the following experimental solutions: (a) distilled water [W] (negative control); (b) 1,000 ppm F [F] (positive control); (c) 1,000 ppm Al [Al]; (d) 1,000 ppm Al,1,000 ppm F applied interchangeably [Al-F]; (e) 1,000 ppm Al, 1,000 ppm F, applied in sequential order [Al+F]; (f) combined 1,000 ppm Al and 150 ppm Sr [Al+Sr]; and (g) combined 150 ppm Sr and 1,000 ppm F [Sr+F]. Subsequently, the specimens were subjected to a 5-day acid resistance test. Lesions were evaluated quantitatively by performing surface microhardness and qualitatively by using polarized light microscopy. According to the results, solutions [Sr+F] and [Al-F] enhanced remineralization and inhibited demineralization as effectively as the [F] solution and significantly superiorly compared to [Al+Sr] and [Al] solutions. All tested solution groups, except for the [Al+Sr] group, presented significantly increased resistance to acidic attack, compared to [W]. PLM examination revealed that all solution groups, except for the [W] group, developed an acid-resistant zone at lesion surfaces. In conclusion, under the present experimental conditions, the combined strontium-fluoride and aluminum-fluoride treatments presented similar anti-caries efficacy compared to fluoride treatment alone, but they did not show evidence of synergistic activity on pre-softened enamel.     

Rapid demineralization in acidic buffers.

The demineralization of routine histological specimens in buffers of weakly ionized organic acids, unbuffered formic acid, and EDTA was investigated. The rate of demineralization was measured by a chemical method and from radiographs. Lactate-containing buffers and buffers of formic acid with its potassium salt were more rapid in effect than any other agent. Acidic buffers and unbuffered formic acid produced rapid diffuse demineralization with secondary precipitation of calcium salts. Preservation of dental enamel in such buffers resulted from the significantly slower rate of enamel demineralization than that for bone and dentine. In rapid demineralizing agents the secondary salts were quickly redissolved while in slow buffers these salts persisted. Multivalent ions such as citrate and maleate slowed the rate of demineralization, and a citrate-containing buffer was the slowest of all the agents tested. Demineralization in EDTA exhibited a different pattern with the establishment of a well-defined front of demineralization without apparent reprecipitation. EDTA attacked enamel, bone and dentine at the same rate. An attempt was made to relate the observed rates of demineralization to current theories of the demineralization process.     

Rapid demineralization in acidic buffers

Summary The demineralization of routine histological specimens in buffers of weakly ionized organic acids, unbuffered formic acid, and EDTA was investigated. The rate of demineralization was measured by a chemical method and from radiographs. Lactate-containing buffers and buffers of formic acid with its potassium salt were more rapid in effect than any other agent. Acidic buffers and unbuffered formic acid produced rapid diffuse demineralization with secondary precipitation of calcium salts. Preservation of dental enamel in such buffers resulted from the significantly slower rate of enamel demineralization than that for bone and dentine. In rapid demineralizing agents the secondary salts were quickly redissolved while in slow buffers these salts persisted. Multivalent ions such as citrate and maleate slowed the rate of demineralization, and a citrate-containing buffer was the slowest of all the agents tested. Demineralization in EDTA exhibited a different pattern with the establishment of a well-defined front of demineralization without apparent reprecipitation. EDTA attacked enamel, bone and dentine at the same rate. An attempt was made to relate the observed rates of demineralization to current theories of the demineralization process.Supported by the British Medical Research Council     

Dental caries in wild primates: Interproximal cavities on anterior teeth

Dental caries has been reported in a variety of primates, although it is still considered rare in wild populations. In this study, 11 catarrhine primate taxa (n = 339 individuals; 7946 teeth) were studied for the presence of caries. A differential diagnosis of lesions in interproximal regions of anterior teeth was undertaken, since they had been previously described as both carious and non-carious in origin. Each permanent tooth was examined macroscopically, with severity and position of lesions recorded. Two specimens were examined further, using micro-CT scans to assess demineralization. Differential diagnosis confirmed the cariogenic nature of interproximal cavities on anterior teeth (ICATs). Overall results show 3.3% of all teeth (i.e., anterior and posterior teeth combined) were carious (n = 262), with prevalence varying among species from 0% to >7% of teeth affected. Those with the highest prevalence of ICATs include Pan troglodytes verus (9.8% of anterior teeth), Gorilla gorilla gorilla (2.6%), Cercopithecus denti (22.4%), Presbytis femoralis (19.5%), and Cercopithecus mitis (18.3%). ICATs make up 87.9% of carious lesions on anterior teeth. These results likely reflect dietary and food processing differences among species, but also between the sexes (e.g., 9.3% of all female P. troglodytes verus teeth were carious vs. 1.8% in males). Processing cariogenic fruits and seeds with the anterior dentition (e.g., wadging) likely contributes to ICAT formation. Further research is needed in living primate populations to ascertain behavioral/dietary influences on caries occurrence. Given the presence of ICATs in frugivorous primates, their diagnosis in archaeological and paleontological specimens may shed light on diet and food processing behaviors in fossil primates.     

Aluminum concentrations in human deciduous enamel and dentin related to dental caries

The aluminum (Al) concentrations in the enamel and dentin of 314 human deciduous teeth were determined in order to examine the relationship between Al and dental caries. The sample teeth were divided into three groups: the sound tooth group, carious tooth group and filled tooth group. The teeth of the carious tooth group were further classified into three groups depending on the stage of caries. The Al content was determined using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. In both the enamel and dentin, the Al concentrations were unaffected by sex, but did depend on tooth type. In enamel, the Al concentration was significantly higher in the sound tooth group (42.8 +/- 37.3 microg/g) than in the three carious groups (20.7 +/- 17.1-24.9 +/- 22.0 microg/g) and the filled tooth group (27.3 +/- 25.5 microg/g). As for dentin, the Al concentration was also significantly higher in the sound tooth group (36.2 +/- 35.1 microg/g) than in the three carious groups (15.1 +/- 13.3-24.5 +/- 23.4 microg/g) and the filled tooth group (17.2 +/- 20.6 microg/g). Even when analyzing incisors alone, the Al concentrations were significantly higher in the sound tooth group than in the other groups, for both enamel and dentin. Furthermore, the Al levels in carious enamel and dentin did not decrease with the advance of caries. These findings indicated that the deciduous teeth containing higher Al concentrations on average had less caries than the teeth with lower Al concentrations, and suggest that Al acts as a possible cariostatic agent by itself.     

A mathematical theory of enamel solubility and the onset of dental caries: III. Development and computer simulation of a model of caries formation

Part III attempts to develop a diffusion controlled model of caries in the intact enamel employing the kinetic results of the previous two parts. A model of the enamel as a granular bed with a diffusible organic matrix filling the interstices is considered. The basic equations of diffusion and simultaneous reaction are developed under the assumption that all the reactions are so rapid as compared with the diffusion rate, that they are in a quasi-equilibrium state. The resultant system of seven coupled, non-linear parabolic partial differential equations is of such complexity that only numerical solutions could be attempted. Stability restrictions inherent in the problem dictated the use of the DuFort-Frankel numerical solution for parabolic boundary problems. Numerical solutions giving the concentration of all reactants, the rate of mineral loss, and the enamel porosity were obtained for a variety of boundary conditions. It is found that departure from the equilibrium condition expressed in part II is necessary for the occurrence of an attack on the enamel. The rate and pattern of penetration is then determined primarily by the concentrations of undissociated buffer, and salts, together with the rate of diffusion in the surrounding medium. The possibility of a relatively intact surface layer persisting over a demineralized subsurface region due solely to the composition of the demineralizing medium is noted. Remineralization behavior in portions of the carious lesion occurs in the model under certain boundary conditions.