Work

Translucency, opalescence and fluorescence of human teeth in relation to the storage time after extraction

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: • Enamel and dentin exhibit different degrees of translucency, opalescence, and fluorescence. • Longer storage of enamel slightly increases its translucency. The aim of the study was to analyze the translucency, opalescence, and fluorescence of enamel and dentin of extracted human teeth, as well as the influence of storage time. Thirty-eight extracted human teeth were embedded in epoxy resin within 12 hours post-extraction. After 48 hours, 0.5 mm thick buccolingual sections were prepared and polished. Specimens were stored in 0.5% chloramine T-hydrate solution at 6 ± 1°C. Reflectance measurements were performed using a spectrophotometer (Ci7600, X-Rite) with a 3.5 mm aperture in SCI mode against black and white backgrounds. Translucency (TP ab , TP 00 ), opalescence (OP BW ), and fluorescence (FL) were calculated for enamel and dentin separately at storage times of 7, 14, 21, and 28 days, and at 3 and 6 months. he following values were found for human teeth: Enamel: TP ab : 21.5–24.2 (SD: 3.5–4.3); TP 00 : 16.8–19.4 (SD: 3.2–4.1); OP BW : 11.2–12.5 (SD: 1.5–2.0); FL : 3.8–5.0 (SD: 1.1–1.7); Dentin: TP ab : 15.6–17.0 (SD: 4.2–4.6); TP 00 : 11.5–12.6 (SD: 3.3–3.5); OP BW : 9.3–9.6 (SD: 1.9–2.5); FL : 6.0–7.5 (SD: 1.6–2.5). Storage time only had an effect on the enamel, with a significant increase ( p<0.05 ) in TP ab (+2.7), TP 00 (+2.6), and OP BW (+1.3) observed after six months of storage. Storage time is a significant factor for the optical properties of enamel, leading to increased translucency and opalescence after six months. In contrast, the optical properties of dentin remain largely stable. The development and assessment of aesthetic dental materials requires a quantification of the optical properties of human teeth, as well as knowledge of influencing factors during the examination.

Source: Journal of Dentistry

DOI: 10.1016/j.jdent.2025.106210

Authors: Antonia Meyert, Florian Fuchs, Elena Günther, Daniel R. Reissmann, Andreas Koenig

Institution: Leipzig University

Language: English

Topic: Dental materials and restorations

Subfield: Orthodontics

Field: Dentistry

Domain: Health Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,160

Funder: Universität Leipzig