Abstract
Dental enamel mineral loss is multifactorial and is consequently explored using a variety of in vitro models. Important factors include the presence of acidic pH and its specific ionic composition, which can both influence lesion characteristics. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has been demonstrated as a promising tool for studying dental enamel demineralization. However, OCT-based characterization and comparison of demineralization model dynamics are challenging without a consistent experimental environment. Therefore, an automated four-dimensional OCT system was integrated with a multispecimen flow cell to measure and compare the optical properties of subsurface enamel demineralization in different models. This configuration was entirely automated, thus mitigating any need to disturb the specimens and ensuring spatial registration of OCT image volumes at multiple time points. Twelve bovine enamel disks were divided equally among three model groups. The model demineralization solutions were citric acid (pH 3.8), acetic acid (pH 4.0), and acetic acid with added calcium and phosphate (pH 4.4). Bovine specimens were exposed to the solution continuously for 48 h. Three-dimensional OCT data were obtained automatically from each specimen at a minimum of 1-h intervals from the same location within each specimen. Lesion dynamics were measured in terms of the depth below the surface to which the lesion extended and the attenuation coefficient. The net loss of surface enamel was also measured for comparison. Similarities between the dynamics of each model were observed, although there were also distinct characteristic differences. Notably, the attenuation coefficients showed a systematic offset and temporal shift with respect to the different models. Furthermore, the lesion depth curves displayed a discontinuous increase several hours after the initial acid challenge. This work demonstrated the capability of OCT to distinguish between different enamel demineralization models by making dynamic quantitative measurements of lesion properties. This has important implications for future applications in clinical dentistry.
Highlights
Dental hard tissue disease is frequently characterized by mineral loss
This is a major limitation for longitudinal studies that aim to understand lesion dynamics over time because measurement uncertainty is associated with specimen realignment at each imaging step.[17]
This paper investigated whether previously established Optical coherence tomography (OCT)-based measurements could distinguish between lesions formed using different demineralization models
Summary
Dental hard tissue disease is frequently characterized by mineral loss. This is a critical factor in its diagnosis and management in terms of carious and erosive lesions. OCT studies have previously been limited by protocols that require specimens to be moved between demineralization solutions and the imaging equipment. This is a major limitation for longitudinal studies that aim to understand lesion dynamics over time because measurement uncertainty is associated with specimen realignment at each imaging step.[17]. This paper investigated whether previously established OCT-based measurements could distinguish between lesions formed using different demineralization models
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