Mineral Density and Mineral Loss after Demineralization at Various Locations in Human Root Dentine

From intact roots of human cuspids 83 dentine specimens were cut. The specimens with known location and thickness were embedded in a holder of polymethyl methacrylate and microradiographic images were made. From the longitudinal microradiography (LMR) measurements the average mineral density (kg/m3) of the sound human dentine specimens was calculated. All specimens were subsequently demineralized using a constant composition method in a solution containing 3 mM CaCl2.2H2O, 3 mM KH2PO4, 50 mM CH3COOH and 0.2 ppm fluoride as NaF at pH = 5 for 24 h. After demineralization the LMR measurements were repeated to calculate the amount of mineral lost. The data show that there is no correlation between: (1) the location of a dentine specimen in the root and the mineral density of sound human dentine, (2) the location of a dentine specimen in the root and the degree of demineralization after 24 h and (3) the mineral density of sound human dentine and the demineralization degree. This information is useful for future in vitro and in vivo studies on human roots.