µXRF Analysis of Traces and Calcium Phosphates Phases on Tooth-Tartar Interfaces using Synchrotron Radiation

J. ABRAHAM; HECTOR JORGE SANCHEZ; M.C. VALENTINUZZI; M.S. GRENóN; C. A. PéREZ; R.A. BARREA

Frascati (Italia)

Congreso; IIXCOM XVIII; 2005

Hard dental tissues like dentine and cementum with adhered calcified deposits, the socalled dental calculus or tartar, were studied from several extracted human dental-pieces of adult individuals located in the same geographic region. A couple of transversal cut were practiced at dental root level resulting in a planar slice of calculus and dental tissue exposed for analysis. Over one surface and along a linear path across dentine-cementum-tartar the elemental content was determined using microanalysis by x-ray fluorescence with synchrotron radiation (ìSRXRF). The concentration of elemental traces like K, V, Cu, Zn, As, Br and Sr showed different features on the analyzed path. The possible connections with the dynamic of mineralization and biological implications are discussed. The concentrations of major elements Ca and P were also determined and the computed molar Ca/P ratio was used to estimate the average composition of calcium phosphate phases along the beam path. The changes in the composition of phases studied give insight in the scarcely-known mechanism of calculus growing.