Journal of Dentistry
Volume 35, Issue 8 , Pages 656-663, August 2007

The permeability of natural dentine caries before and after restoration: An in vitro study

  • Taher O. Elgalaid

      Affiliations

    • Glasgow Dental Hospital and School, 378 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3JZ, Scotland, UK
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +44 141 2119766; fax: +44 141 3531593.
    • ,
  • Steve L. Creanor

      Affiliations

    • Director of Undergraduate Dental Studies & Professor of Oral Sciences, Peninsula College of Medicine & Dentistry, Tamar Science Park, Research Way, Plymouth, PL6 8BU, UK
    • Tel.: +44 1752 437444; fax: +44 1752 517842.
    • ,
  • Siobhan Creanor

      Affiliations

    • University of Plymouth, Tamar Science Park, 1 Davy Road, Derriford, Plymouth, PL6 8BX, UK
    • Tel.: +44 1752 764434.
    • ,
  • Andrew F. Hall

      Affiliations

    • Dundee University Dental School, Park Place, Dundee DD1 4HN, Scotland, UK
    • Tel.: +44 1382 635984; fax: +44 1382 635984.

Received 22 January 2007; received in revised form 2 May 2007; accepted 3 May 2007.

Abstract 

Objectives

The objectives of this experiment were to determine in vitro the permeability of teeth exhibiting a range of natural dentine caries and the effects of caries excavation and subsequent restoration on the dentine permeability of extracted teeth.

Methods

Forty-five human permanent molars with obvious occlusal caries were selected and coronal dentine permeability was measured before (baseline) and after caries excavation, as well as after acid etching the prepared cavity and finally, after restoration.

Results

The small permeability values for all teeth made statistical testing between the different stages of specimen preparation both meaningless and inappropriate. An alternative means of examining the data was to calculate the percentage of teeth which had exhibited permeability values greater than zero at each of the four specimen preparation stages. The percentage of teeth with permeability greater than zero remained unchanged before and after cavity preparation (23%). Removal of the smear layer, however, increased substantially the percentage of teeth demonstrating permeability greater than zero, to 72%. None of the restored teeth demonstrated measurable permeability.

Conclusion

The teeth chosen exhibited a range of dentine caries and, surprisingly, demonstrated either low or no measurable permeability. This experiment highlighted the need for more investigation into the quality of carious-affected dentine and the properties of the smear layer produced from such dentine.

Keywords: Dentinal tubules, Dentine permeability, Sclerotic dentine, Carious-infected dentine, Carious-affected dentine

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PII: S0300-5712(07)00093-0

doi:10.1016/j.jdent.2007.05.004

Journal of Dentistry
Volume 35, Issue 8 , Pages 656-663, August 2007

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