The influence of different fluoride compounds and treatment conditions on dental enamel: A descriptive in vitro study of the CaF2 precipitation and microstructure

Electron and atomic force microscopy techniques have been applied to charac terize both the in vitro deposition intensity and the microstructure of the KOH-soluble fluoride precipitates on human dental enamel. The study was fo cused on the effects of amine fluoride, sodium fluoride and sodium monofluo rophosphate having a fluoride concentration of 0.1% F in acidulated and aqu eous solutions. Under certain conditions, fluoride globules were formed wit hin an initiation time of less than 20 s. This result supports the potentia l significance of this process for the cariostatic action of fluorides duri ng dentifrice use. The deposition intensity seems to be dependent on the av ailability of Ca and F ions on the dental surface. A nanocrystalline calciu m fluoride-like microstructure was revealed, with an additional phosphorus and oxygen incorporation as a function of the treatment time. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.