title: A computerized analysis of the relation between the occlusal enamel caries lesion and the demineralized dentin.
abstract: It has previously been shown that the demineralized dentin does not spread laterally along the enamel-dentin junction in non-cavitated approximal lesions. This study examined the spread of the dentinal part of occlusal lesions along the enamel-dentin junction. The material consisted of 48 well-defined occlusal lesions with histological evidence of dentin demineralization. The teeth were embedded in methylmethacrylate, serially-sectioned, ground, and contrast-stained. The sections with the deepest lesion penetration from each lesion were photographed and scanned by a high-quality scanner in order to produce images for computerized histomorphometric analysis. Two variables were measured on the images: i) the length of the contact area of the enamel lesion along the enamel-dentin junction; and ii) the length of the contact area of the demineralized part of the dentin lesion along the enamel-dentin junction. The results showed a gradual increase in the lengths of the enamel and dentin contact areas between the sections, each representing well-defined progressive stages of lesion formation. In two-thirds of the non-cavitated lesions, the enamel lesion was larger than the demineralized part of the dentin lesion, and in 50% of the cavitated cases the extension of the demineralized dentin was less than the affected enamel. Our conclusion is that the dentin demineralization did not spread significantly in a lateral direction in non-cavitated occlusal lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology and Endodontics, School of Dentistry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Lars.Bjoerndal@odont.ku.dk
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bjørndal
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Darvann
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lussi
mesh_terms: D004396:Coloring Agents; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000473:pathology*; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000473:pathology*; D003804:Dentin / Q000473:pathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D020366:Methylmethacrylate; D008867:Microtomy; D016613:Plastic Embedding; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; D017001:Tooth Demineralization / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; D020366:Methylmethacrylate; C025485:basic fuchsin