Enamel dissolution as a function of solution degree of saturation with respect to hydroxyapatite: a nanoindentation study

The objective of this study was to investigate human enamel dissolution as a function of degree of saturation (DS) of the surrounding solution with respect to hydroxyapatite. Nanoindentation was used to compare changes in enamel nanomechanical properties due to dissolution by two solutions. Citric acid solution (DS = 0.000, pH 3.30) and citric acid solution containing calcium (299 mg/l) and phosphate (54.0 mg/l) (DS = 0.032 pH 3.30) were compared with a control mineral water (DS = 0.673, pH 7.48). Exposure times were 0, 120, 300, 600, 900. and 1200 s. Compared to untreated enamel, there was a statistically significant change in enamel hardness after 120 s exposure to both citric acid solutions, and in elastic modulus after 300 s exposure. The rate of change of both variables decreased with exposure time. This suggests that dissolution rate is diffusion-limited under these conditions, in agreement with previous studies. There was no statistically significant difference between the hardness or elastic modulus of enamel exposed to the two citric acid solutions at any time. This may be due to a change in solution composition during contact with the enamel. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.