X-RAY MICROTOMOGRAPHY - A NOVEL TECHNIQUE FOR THE QUANTIFICATION OF EFFECTS IN ENAMEL FOLLOWING CO2-LASER APPLICATION

X-ray microtomography (XMT) is a miniaturised version of the technique of computer axial tomography as used in medical diagnosis. As an exam ple of the dental research applications of the technique, a pilot stud y is described in which the effects of a continuous wave carbon dioxid e laser on dental enamel are investigated and the use of XMT for the n on-invasive measurement of mineral density changes within dental hard tissues is demonstrated. The results show clearly the ability of XMT t o display graphically, and to quantify, changes in mineral density occ urring within lased specimens, compared with a conventional SEM view o f similar material. There have been many reports of the problems found when using lasers to cut dental hard tissues, and this paper demonstr ates that XMT is of particular value the study of the cracking induced by many lasers. We also suggest that XMT might be used in many studie s investigating mineral density changes within dental hard tissues.