A NEW METHOD OF EVALUATING ENAMEL THICKNESS BASED ON A 3-DIMENSIONAL MEASURING SYSTEM

In order to describe molar enamel thickness more accurately, a new mea surement method using a laser triangulation system has been developed and its repeating accuracy was tested. The method was then applied to investigate the changing pattern of lateral enamel thickness along the distal protoconid crest. The results indicated that lateral enamel th ickness at different sections tends to be comparable in relation to di stance from the dentine tip. We expect this method to become an effect ive tool to investigate not only thickness of enamel but also its thre e-dimensional morphology.