Quantification of dental erosion—A comparison of stylus profilometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM)

Heurich, Erik; Beyer, Markus; Jandt, Klaus D.; Reichert, Joerg; Herold, Volker; Schnabelrauch, Matthias; Sigusch, Bernd W.

doi:10.1016/j.dental.2009.12.001

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Volume 26, Issue 4 , Pages 326-336, April 2010

Quantification of dental erosion—A comparison of stylus profilometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM)

Erik Heurich
- Institute of Materials Science and Technology (IMT), Chair in Materials Science, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Löbdergraben 32, D-07743 Jena, Germany
Markus Beyer
- Institute of Materials Science and Technology (IMT), Chair in Materials Science, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Löbdergraben 32, D-07743 Jena, Germany
Klaus D. Jandt
- Institute of Materials Science and Technology (IMT), Chair in Materials Science, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Löbdergraben 32, D-07743 Jena, Germany
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +49 3641 9 477 31; fax: +49 3641 9 477 32.
Joerg Reichert
- Institute of Materials Science and Technology (IMT), Chair in Materials Science, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Löbdergraben 32, D-07743 Jena, Germany
Volker Herold
- Institute of Materials Science and Technology (IMT), Department of Surface and Interface Technology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Löbdergraben 32, D-07743 Jena, Germany
Matthias Schnabelrauch
- Innovent e.V. Jena, Prüssingstr. 27B, D-07745 Jena, Germany
Bernd W. Sigusch
- Department of Conservative Dentistry, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, An der alten Post 4, D-07740 Jena, Germany

Received 23 July 2009; received in revised form 2 November 2009; accepted 2 December 2009.

Abstract

Objectives

Since stylus profilometry applies a force on the sample surface, it is logical to hypothesize that the profilometer penetrates the surface of the enamel softened by acid solutions. The aims of the present study were, therefore, to test the hypothesis that surface profilometry measurements of eroded enamel alter the surface of the enamel, to quantify the potential effect of the surface alteration (scratches) on the measured values of enamel erosion by atomic force microscopy and to compare the values of enamel loss caused by erosion as measured by profilometry and non-contact confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM).

Methods

Enamel samples, cut from unerupted human third molars were treated with Volvic Mineral Water and citric acid solutions of different pH values. The enamel material loss was measured by two different contact profilometers and a reflection mode CLSM. The scratches depth was analyzed by atomic force microscopy.

Results

Our study demonstrated that the tip of the profilometer penetrated the surface of eroded enamel during the profilometry measurements, leading to clearly visible surface scratches on the enamel samples. The profilometers created surface scratches of a depth ranging from 57.6 (47.1)nm to 577.1 (157.6)nm on the surface of the eroded enamel and led, therefore, to a larger measured value of erosion. It was shown that the depth of the scratches depends on the pH value, the erosion time and the profilometer used.

Significance

With few exceptions profilometers deliver reliable values of erosive enamel material loss, although they create surface scratches on eroded enamel. Reflection mode CLSM is a non-tactile, fast and precise method for analyzing enamel erosion quantitatively in vitro.

Keywords: Profilometer, Confocal Microscopy, Dental, Enamel erosion, Scratch, Damage, Citric acid, Atomic force microscopy