Estrogen-deficiency Effect on the Composition of Dental Enamel: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Background: Tooth enamel mineralization is assumed to be a target of endogenous estrogen imbalances. Objective: To evaluate the effect of estrogen deficiency during amelogenesis on the mineral composition of dental enamel. Methods: Ten female Wistar Hannover rats were randomly divided into two groups according to the intervention received: ovariectomy surgery (OVX, experimental) and fictitious surgery (SHAM, control). After 21 days, the rats of both groups were euthanized, and the upper incisors were extracted for analysis of the mineral composition by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence. The sensitivity of the enamel organ to estrogen was evaluated in both groups by immunohistochemical analysis of the odontogenic region of the lower incisors for the presence of estrogen receptors alpha and beta (ERα and ERβ, respectively) in ameloblasts in the maturation stage. Differences in the mineral composition between groups were compared using Student’s t-test (P < 0.05). Results: No statistically significant difference was detected in the mineral composition between the OVX and SHAM groups (P > 0.05). ERα was immunostained in the ameloblasts of both groups. Conclusion: Although ameloblasts express ERα, estrogen deficiency during amelogenesis did not appear to affect the dental enamel composition in this murine model.