Abstract
Previously, we indicated that a silver staining method generally used in protein gel electrophoresis could be applied to stain undecalcified tooth sections for observation of fine structures in dentin and cementum. In this study, we attempted to observe the carious lesions of enamel and dentin with the silver staining method. When undecalcified ground sections of teeth were stained with the staining method, carious lesions on dentin showed layer staining pattern, and the staining patterns seemed to be corresponding to the histological zone of the carious lesions. Furthermore, it was clear that discoloration of tooth sections stained by silver was promoted by UV light exposure, as a result, the enamel carious lesions could be observed. Our results suggested an application possibility of the silver staining to detect the carious lesions in both dentin and enamel.
