Regeneration of a Micro-Scratched Tooth Enamel Layer by Nanoscale Hydroxyapatite Solution

• Published in: Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society Vol. 30; no. 4; pp. 887 - 890
• Main Authors: 류수착, Byoung-Ki Lim, Fangfang Sun, 고광락, 한동욱, 이재범
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 대한화학회 20.04.2009
• Subjects: 화학
• ISSN: 0253-2964; 1229-5949
• DOI: 10.5012/bkcs.2009.30.4.887

Hydroxyapatite (HAp)-based materials have attracted considerable attention on account of their excellent stability and recrystallization. Nanoscale HAp powders with a mean particle size of 200 nm were used to regenerate the enamel layers of damaged teeth. An artificially scratched tooth was immersed in a nanoscale HAp powder suspension in d.i. water (HAp of 70 wt%) at 37 oC for a period of 1~3 months. SEM and AFM showed that the scratched surface was ultimately inlaid with HAp after three months and the roughness increased from 2.80 to 5.51. Moreover, the hardness of the neo-generated HAp layer on the crown was similar to that of the innate layer. Ca2+ and PO4 3- ions from the HAp powders dissolved in d.i. water were precipitated on the tooth to produce cemented pastes on the enamel surface due to its high recrystallizing characteristics, resulting in a hard neo-regenerated HAp layer on the enamel layer. This nanoscale HAp powder solution might be used to heal decayed teeth as well as to develop tooth whitening appliances. KCI Citation Count: 12