Common mechanistic studies and demineralization-remineralization models used for cariology research

Abstract

Objectives: Mechanistic studies and demineralization-remineralization models play a critical role in investigating caries pathogenicity, testing effects of new caries prevention methods and developing new caries-preventing products. This study aimed to explore the common mechanistic studies and demineralization-remineralization models used for cariology research in recent literature.

Methods: A search in the Web OF Science from 2014 to 2016 using the keywords (demineralization OR remineralization) AND (dental caries). The title and abstract of potentially eligible publications were screened. Reviews, irrelevant studies such as those on bone studies laboratory and studies using substrate other than teeth were excluded. The remaining publications were laboratory studies using demineralization and remineralization models of enamel or dentin substrate.

Results: A total number of 1,095 articles were found and 350 publications were mechanistic studies in cariology research. Nearly all studies (294/350, 84%) studies were vitro studies. These in vitro studies consumed least expense and time and the conditions were easy to be controlled. Not many studies were in situ studies (40/350, 11%), natural-caries studies (13/350, 4%) and animal studies (3/350, 1%). Among the 294 in vitro studies, nearly all (257/294, 87%) used chemical models which could be simple mineralization model (159/257, 62%) or pH-cycling model (98/257, 38%) to generate artificial carious lesions. Not many (37/294, 13%) studies used microbial models. The main advantages of the chemical model included simplicity, low cost, efficiency (time saving), reproducibility and stability of the experiment. However, the caries generated was not biological. Moreover, the chemical demineralization-remineralization models were generally basic and could not mimic the carious lesion in the complex oral environment.

Conclusions: In conclusion, chemical model using either simple mineralization or pH-cycling method was the most common demineralization-remineralization model adopted by researchers in recent publications. The model used was simple and low cost but it ignored the biological aspects of caries pathogenesis.