TiF₄ Gel is Able to Reduce Erosion Progression on Dentin

Objectives: This in situ study aimed to evaluate the effects of the TiF₄ gel on previously eroded human dentin subjected to subsequent erosive/abrasive cycles.
Methods: For that, 84 dentin samples were obtained from human third molars. Seventy-two of this samples were eroded in vitro and allocated into 6 groups (n=12) according to the treatment to be received during the in situ phase and the number of erosive/abrasive cycles, as follows: TiF₄ gel (4%) applied once (TiF₄1), twice (TiF₄2) or three times (TiF₄3) followed by 1, 2 and 3 erosive/abrasive cycles, respectively. Control groups were subjected to 1 (C1), 2 (C2) and 3 (C3) erosive/abrasive cycles only. The seventh group (n=12) comprised in vitro uneroded samples (UN) that were subjected to 3 erosive/abrasive cycles. Each cycle corresponded to 2 days of erosive (0.5% citric acid, pH 2,6, 6x/day) and abrasive (1x/day) challenges. All the samples were evaluated under non-contact profilometry and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). Besides that, atomic force microscopy images (AFM) were also captured (n=3) to allow the access to the dentin surface topography.
Results: Repeated measures 2-way ANOVA and Tukey’s test (p<0.001) showed that TiF₄2, which did not differ from TiF₄1 and TiF₄3, revealed a significant reduction in surface loss compared to C1, C2, C3 and UN. TiF₄1 and TiF₄3 showed no statistically significant difference from C1, but both treatment groups demonstrated significantly smaller surface loss than C2 and C3. The ESEM and AFM micrographs suggested the maintenance of the glaze on the surfaces treated with the TiF₄ gel, showing a smoother appearance than samples from control groups, with reduced diameters of the dentinal tubules lumens.
Conclusions: Therefore, TiF₄ was able to reduce the progression of erosive lesions.