MOISTURE-DEPENDENT RENATURATION OF COLLAGEN IN PHOSPHORIC-ACID ETCHEDHUMAN DENTIN

We used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to investigate the effects of ac idic and aqueous treatments on human dentin. Two basic points were det ermined: the first is the ability of AFM to discriminate the effect of phosphoric acid (pH similar to 1) on polished dentin, and the second is the demonstrable effect of moisture on fibrous collagen structure. AFM images confirmed that the polishing process led to the removal of both smear layer and smear plugs. Our AFM study of undried dentin, whi ch was then acid treated and kept moist, revealed substantial morpholo gical changes at the dentin surface. Collagen fibers, having a charact eristic periodicity of 67 nm, were imaged in situ for the first time; these structures were absent in dentin treated by phosphoric acid and subsequently vacuum dried, even after prolonged reimmersion in water. The AFM technique permitted us to demonstrate the important roles that moisture and etching play in the determination of the structure of co llagen fibrils. Such structure may also play an important role in the diffusibility of subsequently applied dental adhesion systems. (C) 199 8 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.