Micromorphological and micronanalytical characterization of stagnating and progressing root caries lesions

Root caries is the predominant disease of the tooth tissues in the elderly population and differs in progression and micromorphology from coronal dentin caries. Therefore, different clinical concepts are needed for the treatment of these progressing and arrested lesions. It was the aim of this study to investigate the three-dimensional structure and volume of stagnating and progressing root caries lesions and to determine the mineral composition of the different lesion zones to achieve a better understanding of the natural history of root caries lesion formation. Of 21 extracted human teeth of patients between 42 and 77 years of age with stagnating and progressing root caries lesions serial sections were cut and investigated with polarized light and scanning electron microscopy. From the polarized light micrographs 3D reconstructions were made to determine the volumes of the lesion zones and their relations expressed in a demineralization index (DI). With increasing size of the demineralizing zone the DI increased indicating an increase in the size of the translucent zone. The 3D reconstructions showed distinct differences between stagnating and progressing root caries lesions. In the hypermineralized translucent dentin not all dentin tubules were obliterated by intratubular dentin and within the translucent dentin scattered dead tracts were found. Electron dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis showed that the intertubular dentin of the translucent dentin was also demineralized to a certain extent. The results indicate distinct morphological differences between progressing and stagnating root caries lesions which may have consequences for treatment strategies.