Crystallographic Analysis of Enamel by Combination High Resolution Electron Microscopy and Image Calculation

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of image calculation for crystallo-graphic identification of enamel by High Resolution Electron Microscopy (HREM). Human sound enamel and remineralized enamel samples were observed by HREM and the obtained lattice fringes of the experimental HREM images were compared with JCPDS (Joint Committee of Powdered Diffraction Society) data and estimated possible crystals. Estimated crystals were hydroxyapatite (HAP) for sound enamel and tetracalcium diphosphate monoxide (TTCP) for remineralized enamel. Estimated crystals were calculated for HREM image simulation. Simulated images of both HAP and TTCP were completely consistent with the experimental HREM images of sound and remineralized enamel, respectively. Therefore, it is suggested that using image calculation together with HREM is a definitive method for enamel crystalloeraphic analysis.