Microscopic and electron spectroscopic characterization of dental enamel surfaces

 The effects of surface pretreatment on the topography and composition of dental enamel surfaces of extracted bovine teeth have been investigated by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Surface pretreatment with a solution of benzoic acid in acetone does not change the topography of the surface; it leads to enrichment of calcium and, to a lesser extent, phosphorus at the enamel surface. The higher adhesion strength reported between enamel surfaces pretreated with benzoic acid in acetone and glass ionomer cement might be explained in terms of a greater number of chemical bonding sites due to the enrichment of calcium and phosphorus at the surface.