Development of New Software as a Convenient Analysis Method for Dental Microradiography

Abstract

To the end of developing a convenient research tool to calculate the mineralization status of teeth in detail, a new program was developed using Visual Basic for Applications combined with Microsoft Excel 2004. To demonstrate the usefulness of this program, it was used to analyze tooth enamel mineralization after acid exposure. Transverse microradiography images (TMR) of specimens were digitalized with a charge-coupled device camera with a microscope (CCD camera) and a digital film scanner (FS). Subsequently, the mineral content profile of each specimen after de-and remineralization studies were calculated using the Angmar's formula. The newly developed program was applied to calculating the mineral loss (ΔZ), lesion depth (Ld), surface zone depth (SZd), and lesion body depth (LBd) of tooth specimens. In addition, the outer surface zone (OSZ), inner lesion body (ILB), and sandwich area (SA) between OSZ and ILB -which together constituted ΔZ -were calculated by the newly developed program. Data obtained with the newly developed program were in good agreement for both CCD camera and FS, indicating that the program was reliable for tooth enamel mineralization research studies.

Assessment of the inhibitory effects of fissure sealants on the demineralization of primary teeth using an automatic pH-cycling system

“…In this study, enamel showed increases in the ΔIML, which indicated the amount of mineral loss, and the ΔLd, which indicated the depth of demineralization, over time; this tendency was similar to the that observed by Matsuda et al 18,19) . Of the three fissure sealants in the present study, IIILC yielded the lowest ΔIML and ΔLd values, followed by BS and TM; thus, inhibition of demineralization was highest in the IIILC group.…”

“…In accordance with the methods described by Matsuda et al 18,19) , TMR images were obtained using a CCD camera connected to a light microscope (BX50, Olympus, Tokyo, Japan) and general-purpose image processing software (WinROOF, Mitani Corporation, Fukui, Japan); the images were then digitized. Digitized images before pH-cycling and weekly images during pHcycling were overlapped with respect to a copper mesh that was overlaid on the specimen sections using Adobe Photoshop 8.0 (Adobe Systems Incorporated, San Jose, CA, USA).…”

“…2. The system was set in accordance with the method described by Matsuda et al 18,19) . The cycle was defined as follows: demineralizing solution (0.2 M lactic acid, 3.0 mM CaCl2, 1.8 mM KH2PO4, pH 4.5) for 2 min, interval of 3 min, followed by remineralizing solution (0.02 M HEPES, 3.0 mM CaCl 2, 1.8 mM KH2PO4, pH 7.0) for 60 min.…”

“…Matsuda et al developed an automatic pH-cycling system capable of recreating continuous fluctuations in pH represented by the Stephan curve 17) ; in doing so, they established an experimental system capable of applying chronological demineralization and remineralization to specimens 18,19) . However, no studies have compared the effects of different fissure sealants on the inhibition of demineralization of primary teeth using an automatic pH-cycling system.…”

A new technique for analyzing trace element uptake by human enamel

“…Evaluation of mineral loss and inhibition of demineralization TMR images of each section were examined before and after pH cycling according to a previously described procedure 37) . In brief, microradiographs were obtained in a soft X-ray system (CSM-2, Softex Corporation, Kanagawa, Japan) by using an aluminum step wedge and high-resolution photo plates (HRP-SN-2, Konica Minolta, Inc., Tokyo, Japan).…”