Effect of aging and caries on dentin permeability

Proc Finn Dent Soc. 1992:88 Suppl 1:149-54.

Abstract

Extracted human teeth were collected from young (20-28 yrs) versus old (45-69 yrs) patients. The teeth were divided into carious and noncarious groups. Slabs were created from the mid-coronal occlusal dentin. Carious lesions were excavated and the smear layers on both normal and excavated carious dentin were removed with 37% phosphoric acid (1 min). The permeability (hydraulic conductance) of old normal dentin was only 20% of that obtained in young normal dentin but all of the specimens were permeable. Young carious dentin was only 14% as permeable as young normal dentin and only 1 out of 7 specimens was not permeable. All 7 specimens of old carious dentin were impermeable. Scanning electron microscopy of old and carious dentin exhibited far more intratubular crystals than normal dentin, providing a structural basis for the functional observation.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aging / metabolism*
  • Aging / pathology
  • Crystallography
  • Dental Caries / metabolism*
  • Dental Caries / pathology
  • Dentin / metabolism*
  • Dentin / ultrastructure
  • Dentin Permeability*
  • Humans
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Middle Aged