title: Mounting ground sections of teeth: Cyanoacrylate adhesive versus Canada balsam.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hard tissues can be studied by either decalcification or by preparing ground sections. Various mounting media have been tried and used for ground sections of teeth. However, there are very few studies on the use of cyanoacrylate adhesive as a mounting medium.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of cyanoacrylate adhesive (Fevikwik™) as a mounting medium for ground sections of teeth and to compare these ground sections with those mounted with Canada balsam.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ground sections were prepared from twenty extracted teeth. Each section was divided into two halves and mounted on one slide, one with cyanoacrylate adhesive (Fevikwik™) and the other with Canada balsam. Scoring for various features in the ground sections was done by two independent observers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Statistical analysis using Student's t-test (unpaired) of average scores was performed for each feature observed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No statistically significant difference was found between the two for most of the features. However, cyanoacrylate was found to be better than Canada balsam for observing striae of Retzius (P < 0.0205), enamel lamellae (P < 0.036), dentinal tubules (P < 0.0057), interglobular dentin (P < 0.0001), sclerotic dentin - transmitted light (P < 0.00001), sclerotic dentin - polarized light (P < 0.0002) and Sharpey's fibers (P < 0.0004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This initial study shows that cyanoacrylate is better than Canada balsam for observing certain features of ground sections of teeth. However, it remains to be seen whether it will be useful for studying undecalcified sections of carious teeth and for soft tissue sections.
authors.affiliation: Private Dental Practitioner, Dental Surgeon, KP Dental Care, Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Manogna Rl
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Vangala
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Navodaya Dental College, Raichur, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Amrutha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rudraraju
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, College of Dentistry, King Faisal University, Al-Ahasa 31982, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: R V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Subramanyam
keywords: Canada balsam; cyanoacrylate; dental enamel; dentin; tooth