enamel and dental caries Flashcards
to outline the mechanism of underlying progression of enamel and dentine to examine the microstructure of both enamel and dentine and how it affects the carious process to draw comparison between two tissues to outline the physiocochemical process by which caries cause destruction to outline the pulp-dentine complex and how it provides a limited defence mechanism to examine the structure of a typical tooth surface enamel caries lesion and an occlusal pit lesion
what is the definition of dental caries
it is a localised, chemical dissolution of the tooth surface bought about by metabolic activity in a microbial deposit coving the tooth surface at any given time
what is the dental caries promoted and maintained by
by frequently dietary supply of fermentable carbs
where can dental caries attack
pits
fissures
grooves
especially during eruption and approximate surfaces
what is the percentage of mineral component of the tissue by weight
95%
where is the mineral content the highest
highest at the surface and decreases as it reaches the ADJ
what is the water content in volume in enamel
10%
what is the water content in volume in dentine
20%
what is the residual content by weight in enamel of water
3%
what is the residual content by weight in dentine of water
10%
what is the residual content by weight in enamel of protein
1%
what is the residual content by weight in dentine of protein
20%
what are the crystal dimensions in enamel (w x t)
68 x 26nm
what are the crystal dimensions in dentine ( w x t)
35 x 10 nm
what is the length of the crystal in enamel
7mm
what is the crystal length in dentine
indeterminate
what are the physical properties of human enamel
highly mineralised
withstands shearing forces
abrasion resistance is high
BUT brittle
what happens with the loss of the dentine support
unsupported enamel can fracture resulting in cavitation
what happens to hardness of enamel as we move towards the ADJ
DECREASES
what happens to the density of the enamel as we move towards the ADJ
DECREASES
what re the physical properties of dentine
flexible
poor abrasion resistance
why is dentine flexible
due to its organic matrix and tubular architecture
how is enamel considered
it is considered as microporous
what is the structure of the outermost enamel
it is rather porous
what developmental features can be seen in the enamel microstructure
irregular tissues and micropores
what is the diameter of irregular tissues and mirco pores
0.5-1.5micro metres
the irregular tissues and micropores can take part in
diffusion processes
what to the striae of retzius and perikymata act as
larger diffusion pathways
what is the crystals separated by in the enamel microstructure
tiny inter-crystalline spaces filled with water and organic materials
how can we clinically tell that enamel is microporous
the teeth start to dry out and become lighter in colour therefore shade check at the start
where does acid penetrate more readily
where there is greater porosity
what type of crystals do acid dissolution occur
irregular crystal outlines although demineralisation and destruction in the prism core is also seen
where does caries progress more rapidly
prism boundaries
cross striations
striae of retzius
how many cervical dentinal tubules are in the dentine cross section
10-25000 tubules per mm2
how many superficial tubules are found in the cross section of dentine
10-25000 tubules per mm2
what is the diameter of superficial tubules
0.5-1.2 microns in diameter
how many deep dentinal tubules are there in the cross section of dentine
30-52000 tubules per mm2
what is the diameters of the deep dentinal tubules
1-3 microns in diameter
what do the middle of the dentinal tubules contain
they contain odontoblasts and a small amount of extracellular dentinal fluid
how much % of the dentine volume do the superficial dentinal tubules occupy
approx 1 %
how much % of the deeper dentine volume do the superficial dentinal tubules occupy
30%
is the deeper dentine more porous and permeable to bacteria chemicals than superficial dentine
YES
what is the chemical equation that can be used to represent the reaction which takes place when enamel mineral dissolves
Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 ⇌ 10Ca2+ + 6PO43– + 2OH–
what happens under suitable conditions
the biofilm can shift ecologically to become cariogenic so it produces a low pH
clinically what do the lesions look like as they first appear
opaque white spots- and the tooth needs to be dry with 3-in-1
why does the carious lesion appear white
because the sub surface enamel has become porous as a result of dissolution by acid
why does the carious lesion turn Brown
due to the fact the lesion might take up stain and may end up exposing dentine