Correlating the Mechanical Properties to the Mineral Density of Brown Spot Lesion in Dentine Using Nanoindentation and X-ray Micro-tomography

Caries in the stage of brown spot lesion is an advanced phase of the disease thus causing serious problems for patients. Having passed the dentine-enamel junction, carieogenic bacteria begin demineralization of dentine in its vicinity. If not treated promptly, the affected area may reach the pulp of the tooth, creating a gradient of strength characteristics in dentine. In the present work, the mechanical properties and mineral density in the direction from the dentine-enamel junction to the dental pulp were obtained using nanoindentation and X-ray computed micro-tomography and correlated. The results show that the mechanical properties of dentine are dependent on its mineral content. The approach can be used as control technique for the further research of remineralization procedures in clinical practice.