Morphological evaluation of rat Incisor enamel and dentin ınduced by pregnancy and lactation using a scanning electron microscope
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Date
2009
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Abstract
This study assessed the effects of pregnancy and lactation on the morphology of the dentine tubules and external enamel surface of rat incisor teeth using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with an energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) system. Twentyfour female Wistar rats were divided into three groups; group A rats were at the end of pregnancy, group B rats were in the post-lactation
period and group C rats, the control group, were unmated. The outer enamel surface and openings of the dentine tubules at the neck
regions of the incisors were observed under the SEM and photographed. Examination of the incisor teeth of pregnant and post-lactation
rats revealed scratches on the enamel surface. There were few eroded areas and slight changes and the dentine tubules of the pregnant
group were fully or partially occluded on the entire surface of the enamel in the lactating rats. Almost all dentine tubules of the rats in
this group were open. During the study, EDX analysis of calcium, phosphate and magnesium was also performed at 20 kV and 0 degree
tilt. The results of EDX analyses of magnesium were significantly lower in the pregnant group compared with the lactation and control
groups for the dentine in the neck region (p<0.05). The calcium values increased in the lactation group compared with those of the rats
in the other two groups (p<0.05). These results might indicate that changes during pregnancy and lactation affect the content and morphology of mineralized dental hard tissue.
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Keywords
Dentine, Enamel, Lactation, Pregnancy, SEM