Metallization and Ar‐O plasma effects on dental enamel roughness evaluated with SEM and MeX™ for 3D reconstruction

Abstract

The MeX™ software is a useful tool for tridimensional data collection for surface evaluation and could be relevant to evaluate the same specimen in different phases of the study, assuming repeated measures of dental enamel roughness. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of sample metallization for dental enamel roughness analysis with 3D images reconstructed using MeX™ software from Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images. The influence of 74.98% (%mol/mol) argon −oxygen plasma for carbon layer removal on surface roughness of the metallized specimen was also evaluated. Dental enamel specimens were prepared for SEM analysis with and without carbon metallization using conventional or environmental modes. Argon−oxygen plasma for carbon layer removal was used and surface roughness was re-evaluated. Roughness obtained by SEM and MeX™ reconstructed images, with or without metallization, did not differ. No significant alteration on surface roughness after carbon layer removal using plasma was found. SEM baseline evaluation using conventional mode without sample preparation and in environmental mode were not comparable. Roughness of enamel 3D images reconstructed with MeX™ software from SEM images, with or without metallization was similar. The 74.98% (%mol/mol) argon−oxygen plasma removed the carbon layer with no effect on enamel roughness.

A Simple Approach for Thickness Measurements Using Electron Probe Microanalysis

“…Many attempts were made to perform 3D imaging with SEM (Tafti et al, 2015). The fastest approaches are those based on the recombination of 2D images obtained from different tilt angles and a further 3D reconstruction (Hauss Monteiro et al, 2020). Although good 3D surface reconstruction can be obtained with these approaches, the determination of the sample's thickness through a 3D reconstruction of its volume is not guaranteed.…”