龋病人牙釉质表面硬度及抗磨损性能测试

采用人工方法制成人牙釉质浅龋及使用抗龋措施的龋损釉质样本，分别测量各组釉质表面显微硬度，并以微动摩擦磨损试验机测试其抗磨性能，试验结果表明：各组实验组釉质较对照组表面硬度都有不同程度下降，氟化钠前处理会使釉质表达硬度显著下降，人工浅龋牙釉质的抗磨损性能不如正常釉质，使用两种抗龋措施对其抗磨性能没有明显改善。     

Artificial Caries Lesion Characteristics after Secondary Demineralization with Theobromine-Containing Protocol

Developing artificial caries lesions with varying characteristics is needed to adequately study caries process in vitro. The objective of this study was to investigate artificial caries lesion characteristics after secondary demineralization protocol containing theobromine and fluoride. Sixty bovine enamel slabs (4 × 3 mm) were demineralized using a Carbopol-containing protocol for 6 days. A baseline area (2 × 3 mm) was protected with acid-resistant nail varnish, after which specimens were exposed for 24 h to a secondary demineralization protocol containing acetic acid plus one of four fluoride/theobromine combinations (n = 15): theobromine (50 or 200 ppm) and fluoride (0 or 1 ppm). Specimens were sectioned and analyzed using transverse microradiography for changes in mineral content, lesion depth, and surface layer mineralization. Data was analyzed using paired t-test and analysis of variance followed by Bonferroni test at 0.05 significance level. After secondary demineralization, fluoride-containing groups had significantly deeper lesions (p = 0.002 and 0.014) compared to the group with 0 ppm fluoride and 50 ppm theobromine. Mineral content and lesion depth were significantly different compared to baseline for all groups. Theobromine did not show an added effect on mineral uptake. Theobromine-containing groups exhibited particularly deep lesions with a more uniform mineral profile in the presence of fluoride.     

Virtual Screening,Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Streptococcus mutans Mediated Biofilm Inhibitors

Dental caries, a global oral health concern, is a biofilm-mediated disease. Streptococcus mutans, the most prevalent oral microbiota, produces extracellular enzymes, including glycosyltransferases responsible for sucrose polymerization. In bacterial communities, the biofilm matrix confers resistance to host immune responses and antibiotics. Thus, in cases of chronic dental caries, inhibiting bacterial biofilm assembly should prevent demineralization of tooth enamel, thereby preventing tooth decay. A high throughput screening was performed in the present study to identify small molecule inhibitors of S. mutans glycosyltransferases. Multiple pharmacophore models were developed, validated with multiple datasets, and used for virtual screening against large chemical databases. Over 3000 drug-like hits were obtained that were analyzed to explore their binding mode. Finally, six compounds that showed good binding affinities were further analyzed for ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion) properties. The obtained in silico hits were evaluated for in vitro biofilm formation. The compounds displayed excellent antibiofilm activities with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 15.26–250 µg/mL.     

Wavelength-Resolved 3-Dimensional Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging

We have developed a compact system for wide-field fluorescence imaging, resolved in three spatial dimensions, lifetime and wavelength, that is based on a gated optical intensifier and an all-solid-state diode pumped Cr:LiSAF oscillator-amplifier system. Exploiting spectral separation, the system has been applied to human teeth, obtaining good lifetime contrast between enamel, dentin and caries. Exploiting spectral separation combined with depth resolution, the study of fluorescent microspheres led to an enhancement in both lifetime contrast and lateral resolution.     

Optical coherence tomography based imaging of dental demineralisation and cavity restoration in 840 nm and 1310 nm wavelength regions

In this paper, a study of in-house built optical coherence tomography (OCT) system with a wavelength of 840 nm for imaging of dental caries, progress in demineralisation and cavity restoration is presented. The caries when imaged with the 840 nm OCT system showed minute demineralisation in the order of 5 μm. The OCT system was also proposed to study the growth of lesion and this was demonstrated by artificially inducing caries with a demineralisation solution of pH 4.8. The progress of carious lesion to a depth of about 50–60 μm after 60 hours of demineralisation was clearly observed with the 840 nm OCT system. The tooth samples were subjected to accelerated demineralisation condition at pH of approximately 2.3 to study the adverse effects and the onset of cavity formation was clearly observed. The restoration of cavity was also studied by employing different restorative materials (filled and unfilled). In the case of restoration without filler material (unfilled), the restoration boundaries were clearly observed. Overall, results were comparable with that of the widely used 1310 nm OCT system. In the case of restoration with filler material, the 1310 nm OCT imaging displayed better imaging capacity due to lower scattering than 840 nm imaging.     

Precision of Raman depolarization and optical attenuation measurements of sound tooth enamel

The demineralization of enamel that is associated with early caries formation affects the optical properties of the enamel. Polarized Raman spectroscopy and optical coherence tomography have been used to detect these changes and potentially offer a means to detect and monitor early caries development. The total optical attenuation coefficient as measured by optical coherence tomography and the polarization anisotropy of the Raman peak arising from the symmetric ν₁ vibration of at approximately 959 cm⁻¹ have been demonstrated as being sensitive markers of early caries. This ex vivo study on extracted human teeth demonstrates that these measurements can be made with reasonable precision with concomitantly good repeatability and reproducibility in sound enamel. Such reliability is crucial for these techniques to have a practical clinical value.     

Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Effect of Thymoquinone against Different Dental Pathogens: An In Vitro Study

This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial effect of Thymoquinone (TQ) on four different oral microorganisms. Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC), Minimum Inhibition Concentration (MIC), Broth microdilution, and Well diffusion tests were used to determine the optimum antimicrobial concentrations of TQ against Streptococcus salivarius, Streptococcus oralis, Streptococcus mutans, and Staphylococcus aureus over 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 h. Chlorhexidine 0.12% was selected as a positive control. The inhibitory effect of TQ on bacterial growth was most noticeable with S. salivarius, while the least affected was S. aureus. TQ’s MBC and MIC for S. oralis and S. aureus were comparable 2 mg/mL and 3 mg/mL, respectively. S. salivarius was most resistant to TQ and displayed a value of 5 mg/mL and 4 mg/mL for MIC and MBC, respectively. The viable count of different strains after exposure to TQ’s MBC values was most noticeable with S. aureus followed by S. oralis and S. mutans, while S. salivarius was least affected. This study emphasized the promising antimicrobial effect of TQ against the four main oral microorganisms. It has a potential preventive effect against dental caries as well as other oral diseases.     

离体龋齿的光热锁相成像检测试验

牙齿龋损是人类一种广泛存在的口腔疾病,如何能够尽早的发现早期龋齿,对患者牙齿龋损的预防与治疗具有重要意义。介绍了基于光热效应的光热锁相热成像技术,光热锁相热成像技术具有无损伤、高效率及探测面积大等优势被广泛应用于各类材料的无损检测。基于光热锁相热成像技术原理对人为模拟龋损的人类离体牙齿组织进行成像检测试验研究。首先开展了对不同模拟龋损位置离体牙齿的光热锁相成像试验,采用防酸指甲油对牙齿组织测试面进行开窗受控龋损(开窗大小为5 mm×5 mm),其中模拟龋损部位分别选择在牙齿组织的邻接面及牙颌面。试验结果显示,牙齿组织模拟龋损位置热波幅值增大,相位滞后增大且光热锁相成像的幅值图与相位图与X射线成像相比对模拟龋损部位表现出高敏感及高特异性;光热锁相成像技术对邻接面龋损比牙颌面龋损具有较高特异性。其次开展了对平滑面牙齿组织样本的多天(0,1,2,4及6 d)模拟龋损光热锁相成像跟踪试验研究,牙齿组织龋损程度采用X射线方法进行量化。试验结果表明,当龋损时间小于6 d时,X射线方法无法对龋损位置进行有效识别,而采用光热锁相热成像技术检测模拟龋损1 d的牙齿组织时,幅值差为3.82,相位差为10.57°,证明光热锁相热成像方法对牙齿组织龋损具有较高敏感性。提取的光热锁相成像幅值与相位与龋损时间具有良好的相关性。     

用数字化实验探究含氟牙膏背后的化学原理

为了说明含氟牙膏刷牙预防龋齿背后的化学原理,用鸡蛋壳代替牙齿设计了数字化实验。利用电导率传感器研究鸡蛋壳存在沉淀溶解平衡,利用压强传感器研究含氟牙膏水泡过的鸡蛋壳具有抗酸性,利用Logger Pro的线性拟合功能得到鸡蛋壳与盐酸反应的速率曲线,说明F-的保护时间有限。并从理论上分析了上述现象产生的原因。     

Tomographic imaging of incipient dental-caries using optical coherence tomography and comparison with various modalities

We present the optical coherence tomography (OCT) made to investigate the early dental caries in human teeth and compare its results with those taken by conventional imaging modalities including light illuminating examination (LIE), digital intra-oral radiography (DIOR), and electron probe micro analyzer (EPMA). Morphological features and caries-involved areas of the dental structure were mainly investigated by LIE, DIOR, and OCT to study the infection of the caries lesion in pits and fissures. The biochemical information acquired with EPMA and the morphological features taken with OCT in the early stage of caries were compared and analyzed to present an objective and practical index for the degree of caries. The experimental results allow us to conclude that OCT could be used to provide quantitative analysis of caries based on the reflectivity difference in the specimen.