Journal of Dental Research, Vol 67, 1338-1341, Copyright © 1988 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals
An in vitro evaluation of the prevention of caries on overdenture abutments
R. L. Ettinger, D. Manderson, J. S. Wefel and M. E. Jensen
Department of Removable Prosthodontics, Dows Institute for Dental Research, College of Dentistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242.
Teeth prepared as overdenture abutments are susceptible to caries, and it
has been shown that brushing by itself is not sufficient to prevent this
process. This study evaluated the preventive effect of a remineralization
gel which has a low fluoride concentration and compared its effects with
those of a phosphate fluoride gel (Karigel), which has a much higher
concentration of fluoride. Twenty extracted anterior teeth from patients
aged 50 to 70 years were prepared as for overdenture abutments. Each tooth
was sectioned into three fragments. An acidified gel system was used to
produce artificial caries lesions on the occlusal and root surfaces of each
fragment. One fragment of each tooth was treated with the remineralizing
gel, the second fragment with a high-fluoride gel, and the third fragment
served as the control. Ten teeth were removed at two weeks and again at
four weeks, and were sectioned and prepared for histological examination.
The depth of the lesions was measured from standardized photomicrographs by
means of a sonic digitizer. The conclusions were: (1) Lesions on the
occlusal tended to be deeper than those on the root surfaces at four weeks
but not at two weeks; and (2) the high-fluoride gel was more protective
than the low-fluoride remineralizing solution at both time periods on the
occlusal but not on the root surface.
