Effect of Systemic Fluoride on Rat Molar Morphology

Abstract

Female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups. All three groups were given the same solid diet (with 1.6 ppm F). Group I was given deionized water, group II drank water with 5 ppm fluoride added, and group III had 50 ppm fluoride added. All females were mated with the same male. The pups were sacrificed at 28 days, and the mandibles were removed and cleaned. Three-dimensional representations of the occlusal surfaces of the 1st and 2nd mandibular molars were reproduced via computer-digitized images using stereophotogrammetry. Fissure depths and widths were measured, and ''volumes'' of the fissures were computed. The fissure widths, depths, and volumes were compared statistically using unpaired t tests between groups (p < 0.05). There were significant differences in fissure depth between groups I and II and between groups I and III. For fissure volumes, significant differences were found between groups I and III. The width of the fissure and the overall tooth size were not significantly different between fluoride-treated groups. Standardization showed a reproducibility to within .+-.40 mm with the stereophotogrammetric method.