title: A new model for nanoscale enamel dissolution.
abstract: The dissolution kinetics of human tooth enamel surfaces was investigated using nanomolar-sensitive constant composition (CC) and in situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) under simulated caries formation conditions (relative undersaturation with respect to hydroxyapatite = 0.902, pH = 4.5). Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) examination of the resulting etched enamel surfaces showed that deminerzalization, initiated at core/wall interfaces of rods, developed anisotropically along the c-axes. After an initial rapid removal of surface polishing artifacts, the dissolution rate decreased as the reaction proceeded in accordance with our recently proposed crystal dissolution model, resulting in hollow enamel cores and nanosized remaining crystallites, resistant to further dissolution. Generally, dissolution of minerals is regarded as a spontaneous reaction in which all the solid phase can be dissolved in undersaturated solutions. However, the dissolution of some biominerals may be suppressed when the crystallites approach nanometer size. This study shows that CC demineralization of enamel in acidic medium follows this new model that can be used to mimic carious lesion formation. In dissolution studies, nanosized enamel crystallites exhibit a remarkable degree of self-preservation in the fluctuating physiological milieu.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, School of Dental Medicine, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York 14260, USA.
authors.forename: Lijun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ruikang
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Tammy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bonstein
authors.forename: Christine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Orme
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Bush
authors.forename: George H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Nancollas
mesh_terms: D003731:Dental Caries; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000379:methods; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000379:methods; D008954:Models, Biological; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012995:Solubility; D013499:Surface Properties; D013997:Time Factors