Quantification of Tooth Wear Using White Light Profilometry Following Polishing

Objectives: To analyse tooth wear using white light non-contact profilometry following the polishing of the tooth surface with selected polishing pastes.
Methods: Three polishing pastes containing a range of particles sizes and different coarseness (extra-fine, medium, course) Nupro with Novamin® and Nupro with Fluoride were used as controls. Particle size distribution was analysed using a using particle size analyser and quantified using Masterizer software. Teeth were in 70% ethanol prior to evaluation. 25 extracted human premolars teeth were distributed in five groups (n=5), and the teeth were mounted in a silicone putty matrix leaving an exposed buccal surface. White light profilometry with Proscan 2000 software was used to scan each tooth surface before and after polishing. Scantron ProForm software was used to superimpose images and measure surface loss and analyse the difference between the two surfaces-scans by the Proscan 2000 software.
Results: Particle size analysis indicated that all samples consisted of a wide distribution of particles’ sizes (DX 10,50, and 90 micrometres). The course polishing paste had the largest amount of DX90um whereas Nupro with Fluoride had the fewest numbers of DX90. The extra-fine pumice had the least amount of DX 90um, although this paste had more DX10 and DX50 particles compared to the medium paste. The volume tooth loss analysis demonstrated that the course pumice had the most tooth surface loss compared to the extra-fine pumice which had the least amount of tooth surface loss. Average volume loss per group was 0.808, 0.022, 0.014, 0.022, 0.026 (course, medium, extra-fine, Nupro with Fluoride, and Nupro with Novamin) respectively.
Conclusions: The results indicated that the larger the distribution of particles’ sizes within the paste, the more tooth surface loss occurred due to the abrasivity of the paste. There was, however, little or no significant difference in the amount of tooth loss between the controls.