An ultrastructural analysis of the peritubular dentin and of the tubular lumen in healthy teeth

• Published in: Minerva stomatologica Vol. 42; no. 5; p. 205
• Main Authors: Goracci, G, Mori, G, Casa de' Martinis, L, Bazzucchi, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Italian
• Published: Italy 01-05-1993
• Subjects: Adult; Dentin - chemistry; Dentin - ultrastructure; Electron Probe Microanalysis; Humans; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Molar - chemistry; Molar - ultrastructure; Reference Values
• ISSN: 0026-4970

In this study the authors examined some specimens of fractured dentine of embedded healthy teeth, of people aged between 20 and 30. Connecting the scanning electron microscopy to a system of computerised analysis of spectrometry (EDS) allowed the analysis of the qualitative composition of the specimens. Therefore, the authors described the tubular structure of the sound, the peri- and the intertubular dentine, the winding course of the dentinal tubules and in some specimens, the presence of cylindrical structures inside the tubules. The EDS analysis demonstrated that these tubular structures have the same composition as the intertubular dentine. Former studies described hollow cylindrical structures having a similar morphology solely as a response of the odontoblasts to white spots. On the contrary, in this study it was demonstrated that it is possible to find cylindrical structures which are definitely mineralized in sound teeth without caries. However, the presence of such formations is not concomitant with the disappearance of peritubular dentine which is a typical structural modification of the pathological advancement of the carious lesion.