Micro-topography of dental enamel and root cementum.

The focus for the present study was to characterise dental enamel and cementum at the cervical region of healthy teeth by use of interferometry. The effect of a protein-dissolving enzyme, used for cleaning (Neutrase) on the surface topography, was also evaluated. Knowledge about the normal variation of surface topography of natural teeth is limited. In the design of artificial surfaces, intended to replace the function of lost biological surfaces, detailed knowledge of the latter is therefore of great importance. Nine health caries free premolars were used. The root cementum of three teeth was used for evaluation of Neutrase on the surface. On the six remaining teeth, the differences between the surface textures of enamel and root cementum were evaluated using 3D Interferometry. No statistical significant effect of Neutrase was identified. A significant difference between enamel and root cementum concerning surface topography using the different 3D parameters was recorded. When comparing values from the literature, the topography of artificial materials used in dentistry show similarities with the topography of the enamel and root cementum surfaces evaluated.