MadSci Network: General Biology
Query:

Re: Whats is the best method to measure enamel from extracted teeth?

Date: Mon Jun 9 13:58:36 2008
Posted By: Matthew Champion, Staff Scientist
Area of science: General Biology
ID: 1205462650.Gb
Message:

This is a good question.  I think that there are two methods you could use 
that would be readily available, and they both should give close answers.  

I think the most accurate and easiest method is to make the assumption 
that the bulk of the dissolved material is enamel, e.g. a mixture of 
hydroxyapatite and fluoroapatite.  

You need to start by drying out the tooth before the experiment by heat 
and or dessication.  Enamel is non volatile and is unaffected by heating, 
so this will essentially remove all of the water from the dentin.  

Next, you should weigh the tooth on a micro-scale or better balance.  
These will have accuracies to one-tenth of a milligram or better depending 
on what you have available.  

Then perform your experiment.  When it is finished, you can redry the 
tooth and weigh it, the difference will be equal to the amount of enamel 
lost, more or less depending on the assumption above.  This should be 
sufficiently accurate to give you a very close answer.

Method 2 is titration.  You can take a known amount of hydroxyapatide or a 
known amount of a ground dried tooth, dissolve it in an appropriate acid 
(I am guessing that either nitric, sulphuric, or HCL will work).  You then 
titrate in a standard solution of NaOH with phenothaelin and work 
backwards how much CaPO4(OH) was dissolved...  Titration will be more 
accurate and precise, however mass difference will probably suffice in 
this case


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