Remineralization of Natural Tooth Enamel in Artificial Saliva Environment

Abstract

This paper investigates in situ remineralization of the acid-etched natural enamel surface, by incubation in a phosphate solution with neutral pH, at 37 �C for 4-10 days, without using any enamel matrix derivative (EMD). We investigated the morphology, crystallinity, chemical composition and structure of the newly grown layer onto the natural enamel surface stored in contact with artificial saliva (AS) having a composition similar to natural oral environment. The crystalline phases, crystallite size and orientation, as well as the chemical and phase composition of the remineralized dental enamel samples were studied by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The experimental results showed that the enamel crystals grown on the demineralized enamel surface are mainly Ca-deficient apatite hexagonal structure. Fluoridated hydroxyapatite and sylvite-type KCl crystallites, which amount considerable increased in the case of sample stored in AS for 10 days, were also identified.