title: In-situ etching observation of human teeth in acid agent by atomic force microscopy.
abstract: Atomic force microscopy was applied to the in-situ observation of the etching process of human teeth by acid agents. The change of surface morphology was observed consecutively before and during etching for the same area in the same specimen. The course of the etching process in enamel from dissolution of smear layer just after injection of acid agent, appearance of enamel prisms and progress of demineralization were quantitatively analysed for three fundamental acid agents of 2% phosphoric acid, 10% citric acid and 10% polyacrylic acid. Then the depth profile, etching amount, etching rate and thickness of smear layer were evaluated. Observation by scanning electron microscopy was also done and compared with the results by atomic force microscopy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Materials and Engineering, Hokkaido University School of Dentistry, Sapporo, Japan. watari@den.hokudai.ac.jp
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Watari
mesh_terms: D000134:Acid Etching, Dental / Q000379:methods*; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D013499:Surface Properties; D014070:Tooth / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*