Boron in dental hard tissues studied by 11B (p,alpha) 8Be nuclear reaction
Torrisi, L.; Rapisarda, E.; Cicero, G.
Minerva Stomatologica 38(9): 935-940
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0026-4970 PMID: 2811808 Document Number: 330499
Boron's low atomic number and low concentration make its measurement in hard dental tissues difficult. Using nuclear reaction, the 11B(p,alpha)8Be*, enamel, dentine and radicular cement of 18 dental elements, ten healthy and eight decayed teeth, both permanent and deciduous were studied. The highest Boron concentrations were found in the two most superficial microns of the vestibular enamel in non-decayed incisors, particularly deciduous ones. Premolar and molar teeth showed lower Boron concentrations than frontal ones, decayed teeth revealed hardly any Boron. In confirmation of the prevailing exogenous contribution of this karyostatic trace element, on average, Boron concentrations were 2.5 times as high as dentine and 10 times as high as cement.