ATOMIC-FORCE MICROSCOPY STUDIES OF THE EFFECTS OF CHEMICALS ON THE DENTIN TISSUE

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to monitor the effect of severa l chemicals on the dentin tissue. The action of three different etchin g agents, namely aqueous solutions of phosphoric acid, polyacrylic aci d and EDTA (at clinically relevant concentrations) on dentin was follo wed in real time. The etched dentin was then treated with an aqueous s olutions of glutaraldehyde and hydroxyethylmethacrylate (part of a com mercial bonding agent), and the effect of the latter on the dentin mor phology was studied as a function of the etching agent used. Results s how different mode of actions of the chemicals tested, and that hydrox yethylmethacrylate undergoes a polymerization reaction on EDTA-treated dentin. More generally, it is shown that the use of AFM for real-time imaging of wet samples under normal pressure conditions can give impo rtant information on the effects of chemicals on the dentin tissue.