title: A quantitative backscattered electron imaging study of hypomineralization and hypoplasia in fluorosed dental enamel of deer.
abstract: Mineral content and distribution of fluorosed and unfluorosed (control) dental enamel of roe deer and red deer cheek teeth were analyzed using digital backscattered electron (BSE) imaging of PMMA-embedded specimens. Compared to the controls, the fluorosed enamel exhibited various aberrations resulting from a fluoride-induced disturbance of the processes involved in enamel formation. Thus, the presence of surface hypoplasias and an enhancement of the incremental pattern in the fluorosed enamel are evidence of a fluoride impact on the secretory ameloblasts, whereas a (subsurface) hypomineralization of different depth and extent is indicative of a fluoride effect on the maturation stage of amelogenesis. The marked variation in the severity of enamel hypomineralization seen along the coronocervical axis of a specimen pointed to a fluoride impact of varying intensity during this period of tooth development. Our observations further indicated that, in some locations, ameloblasts severely affected by fluoride during enamel matrix formation were able to recover from this insult and to function quite normally during the maturation stage of amelogenesis. A major advantage of the BSE imaging technique used in the present study over other methods is that it allows for a combination of micromorphological information with quantitative data on the mineralization of the analyzed tissue, which proved to be very useful for the characterization of fluoride-induced changes in dental enamel.
authors.affiliation: Zoologisches Institut, Universität zu Köln, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kierdorf
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kierdorf
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boyde
mesh_terms: D000565:Ameloblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D003670:Deer; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003744:Dental Enamel Hypoplasia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005458:Fluoride Poisoning / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005459:Fluorides / Q000032:analysis*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000379:methods; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate; D005459:Fluorides