The permeability of human dentine in vitro and in vivo

Experiments in cats have shown that Evans blue dye diffuses at a greater ra te into dentine in recently extracted teeth than in vivo. These experiments have now been repeated in man and similar results were obtained except tha t, after applications in vivo, visible concentrations of the dye were prese nt in the dentine, and in a few cases, even in the pulp. It is concluded th at, as in the cat, the diffusion in vivo was impaired by outward flow of fl uid in the dentinal tubules but the mean velocity of flow in the human dent ine was less than that in the cat. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All right s reserved.