title: Operative dentistry and the abuse of dental hard tissues: confocal microscopical imaging of cutting.
abstract: We reviewed studies wherein the cutting of dental tissues, simulating interactions that would occur under clinical circumstances in the mouth, have been observed directly-first by real time, video rate, stereoscopic, three-dimensional scanning electron microscopy; and second and more conveniently, by video rate confocal optical microscopy. We have observed, directly, both the interactions of slow-moving cutting instruments emulating "chisels" and high-speed events, including the effects of rotary burs and air-propelled abrasive particles and soft powder slurries. The observational data contribute to our basic understanding of the functional behavior of dental tissues and formed a useful background for the practitioner of operative dentistry.
authors.affiliation: King's College London Dental Institute, at Guy's, King's College & St Thomas' Hospitals, London, UK. timothy.f.watson@kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Timothy Frederick
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pilecki
authors.forename: Richard James
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Azzopardi
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paolinelis
authors.forename: Avijit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.forename: Ian Dennis
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boyde
mesh_terms: D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003754:Dental High-Speed Equipment; D003814:Dentistry, Operative / Q000295:instrumentation*; D019243:Enamel Microabrasion / Q000295:instrumentation; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D018715:Microscopy, Video; D014741:Video Recording