Novel Approach to Tooth Chemistry: Quantification of Human Enamel Apatite in Context for New Biomaterials and Nanomaterials Development.

Andrzej Kuczumow,Maciej Jarzębski,Renata Chałas,Jakub Nowak,Wojciech Smułek

doi:10.3390/ijms22010279

Abstract

A series of linear profiles of the elements of the enamel in human molar teeth were made with the use of an electron microprobe and a Raman microscope. It is postulated that the enamel can be treated as the superposition of variable “overbuilt” enamel on the stable “core” enamel at the macro-, micro- and nanoscale level. The excessive values characterize the “overbuilt enamel”. All the profiles of excessive parameters along the enamel thickness from the enamel surface to the dentin enamel junction (DEJ) can be approximated very precisely with the use of exponential functions, where Ca, P, Cl and F spatial profiles are decaying while Mg, Na, K and CO32− ones are growing distributions. The “overbuilt” apatite formed on the boundary with DEJ, enriched in Na, Mg, OH and carbonates, reacts continuously with Ca, Cl and F, passing into an acid-resistant form of the “overbuilt” enamel. The apparent phases arriving in boundary regions of the “overbuilt enamel” were proposed. Microdiffraction measurements reveal relative variation of energy levels during enamel transformations. Our investigations are the milestones for a further new class of biomaterial and nanomaterial development for biomedical applications.

Highlights

There is a need to develop new materials for dentistry, especially dedicated to fillings and prosthesis purposes
A number of studies were focused on the possible application of various nanomaterials, such as titanium alloys [1] or hydroxyapatite nanocomposites [2], for dentistry application and bone and tissue restoration
The linear scans were made in the direction of the enamel surface or dentin enamel junction (DEJ) on lingual surface, following positions indicated in papers [43,69]

Summary

Introduction

There is a need to develop new materials for dentistry, especially dedicated to fillings and prosthesis purposes. A few biomaterials have been studied in a comparably extensive way as the tooth enamel, especially the human one [4,5,6,7] This apparently simple material is difficult to fully understand [8]. The observations of role of some minor but important elements such as Mg, Sr, Na, Cl and F in the apatite matrix were conducted [28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37] Such studies were sometimes supported by acid etching at the semimicro scale, treated as proof for the regular change in the chemical resistance of the tooth [38]. For humans, as such, the mechanical characteristics of enamel are more important than the kind of chemical material constituting the tooth [48,49,50]

Methods

Results

Conclusion