BACKGROUND N-cadherin is a cell-cell adhesion molecule and deletion of N-cadherin in mice is embryonic lethal. During the secretory stage of enamel development, E-cadherin is down-regulated and N-cadherin is specifically up-regulated in ameloblasts when groups of ameloblasts slide by one another to form the rodent decussating enamel rod pattern. Since N-cadherin promotes cell migration, we aske...

This study aimed to explore the effect of fluoridated toothpastes on biofilm architecture and enamel demineralization in an in vitro biofilm model. Streptococcus mutans was grown on enamel and treated with slurries of commercial toothpastes, containing SnF2 or NaF. Water and chlorhexidine were used as negative and positive controls, respectively. The developed biofilms were imaged and enamel de...

The objective of the study was to evaluate the relationship between the fluoride concentration of the fluoride-releasing elastomers and the acquired acid resistance of human enamel. Four kinds of fluoride concentration of the experimental fluoride-releasing elastomers were 1.25, 2.5, 3.75 and 5.0 wt%. An enamel block was cut into two smaller enamel blocks, one of which was set with an elastomer...

Bonding to enamel has over 50 years of history. Efforts have been made to develop or introduce a simplified alternative, but enamel acid etching remains the most effective procedure for stable enamel bonding. Although acid etching is considered the most popular procedure in dentistry, there are characteristics that deserve special attention because of how crucial they can be in many clinical si...

NTRODUCTION Amelogenesis Imperfecta (AI) is a developmental disorder of genomic origin, associated with abnormal enamel formation. Although AI is considered as a single disease entity, it actually represents a group of heterogeneous conditions, with diverse structural defects of enamel resulting in a range of clinical phenotypes. 1 It is characterized by clinical and genetic heterogeneity in th...

Developing incisal enamel of the rat has been examined in sections with the electron microscope. Staining the sections with heavy metal and sandwiching them has revealed details hitherto unvisualized because of low contrast and destruction by the electron beam. In particular, it is seen that the cell membrane always lies between the ameloblast and the enamel and therefore that enamel is extrace...

Oxygen inhibits polymerization of resin-based materials. We hypothesized that compromised bonding to bleached enamel can be reversed with sodium ascorbate, an anti-oxidant. Sandblasted human enamel specimens were treated with distilled water (control) and 10% carbamide peroxide gel with or without further treatment with 10% sodium ascorbate. They were bonded with Single Bond (3M-ESPE) or Prime&...

In the present study, enamel wear against indirect composite resins was evaluated using two newly designed wear test methods: a rotating sliding wear test and a buff wear test. For the composite resins investigated in this study, their surface morphologies were examined using a scanning probe microscope after buff-polishing. After the wear tests, enamel was worn down by hard fillers that protru...

The aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of CPP method on the crystallinity of apatite powder and on the acid resistance of bovine enamel. Crystallinity degrees of apatite powder before and after CPP treatment were measured by powder X-ray diffraction analysis. Polished bovine enamel specimens treated with CPP method or NaF were immersed in a lactic acid solution for up to five days....

Although it is well known that enamel hypoplasia commonly is observed in prematurely born, very low birthweight (VLBW) children, its pathogenesis is not understood clearly. One likely mechanism may be related to mineral deficiency, which may be diagnosed as radiological demineralization of the long bones. In this study, we compared the cortical area of the humerus as measured from neonatal radi...