Microhardness and Densitometric Measurements of the Effect of 4% SnF2Solution on Artificial White Spot Lesions

Abstract

The effect of differing periods of 4% stannous fluoride treatment at 50 °C on artificial white spot lesions was investigated on cross-sections. Microhardness, densitometric and microprobe measurements were made through the same place on the sections. Both hardness and radiodensity increased significantly after half an hour and reached a maximum after 6h treatment with SnF₂ solution. The rate of hardness increase, even in heavily demineralized sections, appears to be superior to that so far achieved using remineralizing solutions. The microprobe results indicated that the increase in radiodensity was linked to the tin uptake. There was, however, no such correlation with the hardness increase, which appears to be due to an alteration in structure.