title: Comparison of Knoop and Vickers surface microhardness and transverse microradiography for the study of early caries lesion formation in human and bovine enamel.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of the present laboratory study were twofold: a) to investigate the suitability of Knoop and Vickers surface microhardness (SMH) in comparison to transverse microradiography (TMR) to investigate early enamel caries lesion formation; b) to compare the kinetics of caries lesion initiation and progression between human and bovine enamel.
  
  
  METHODS
  Specimens (90×bovine and 90×human enamel) were divided into six groups (demineralization times of 8/16/24/32/40/48h) of 15 per enamel type and demineralized using a partially saturated lactic acid solution. SMH was measured before and after demineralization and changes in indentation length (ΔIL) calculated. Lesions were characterized using TMR. Data were analyzed (two-way ANOVA) and Pearson correlation coefficients calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ΔIL increased with increasing demineralization times but plateaued after 40h, whereas lesion depth (L) and integrated mineral loss (ΔZ) increased almost linearly throughout. No differences between Knoop and Vickers SMH in their ability to measure enamel demineralization were observed as both correlated strongly. Overall, ΔIL correlated strongly with ΔZ and L but only moderately with the degree of surface zone mineralization, whereas ΔZ and L correlated strongly. Bovine demineralized faster than human enamel (all techniques).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lesions in bovine formed faster than in human enamel, although the resulting lesions were almost indistinguishable in their mineral distribution characteristics. Early caries lesion demineralization can be sufficiently studied by SMH, but its limitations on the assessment of the mineral status of more demineralized lesions must be considered. Ideally, complementary techniques to assess changes in both physical and chemical lesion characteristics would be employed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry, Oral Health Research Institute, Indiana University School of Dentistry, 415 Lansing St, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA. Electronic address: flippert@iu.edu.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lippert
authors.affiliation: GlaxoSmithKline, St. George's Avenue, Weybridge KT13 0DE, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: R J M
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Lynch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D006244:Hardness; D006801:Humans; D008852:Microradiography / Q000379:methods*; D013499:Surface Properties; D013997:Time Factors; D017001:Tooth Demineralization / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Bovine enamel; Demineralization; Enamel; Human enamel; Knoop; Surface microhardness; TMR; Vickers