Advances in Dental Research, Vol 9, 175-193, Copyright © 1995 by International & American Associations for Dental Research
The application of in vitro models to research on demineralization and remineralization of the teeth
D. J. White
The Procter & Gamble Company, Mason, Ohio 45040-8006, USA.
Progress in in vivo and in situ experimentation has led many researchers to
speculate as to the relevance and importance of in vitro testing protocols
in caries research. A Medline/Biosis search for the present review revealed
well over 300 citations (since 1989) documenting in vitro tests associated
with caries research on mineralization and fluoride reactivity. The present
survey documents these recent applications of in vitro test methods in both
mechanistic and 'profile' caries research. In mechanistic studies, in vitro
protocols over the past five years have made possible detailed studies of
dynamics occurring in mineral loss and gain from dental tissues and the
reaction dynamics associated with fluoride anticaries activity. Similarly,
in profile applications, in vitro protocols make possible the inexpensive
and rapid--yet sensitive--assessment of F anticaries efficacy within
fluoride-active systems, and these tests represent a key component of
product activity confirmation. The ability to carry out single variable
experiments under highly controlled conditions remains a key advantage in
in vitro experimentation, and will likely drive even further utilization,
as advances continue in physical-chemical and analytical techniques for
substrate analysis in these protocols. Despite their advantages in vitro
testing protocols have significant limitations, most particularly related
to their inability to simulate the complex biological processes involved in
caries.
