Determination of organic content in the enamel of teeth that were submitted to different conditions

• Grant number: 17/13717-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2017
• End date: October 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry
• Principal Investigator: Raquel Fernanda Gerlach
• Grantee: Bruno Azevedo Moreira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Ribeirão Preto (FORP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This project aims to determine, by different methods, the amount of organic matter present in normal enamel of extracted third molars and compare the values obtained with those found in the enamel of teeth submitted to adverse conditions, such as those that mimic fires and prolonged exposure to water (submerged in a lake for 9 months). Materials and Methods: This study predicts the enamel analysis of 4 groups: A) control teeth , B) and C) teeth submitted to high temperatures: 400°C and 800°C, and D) teeth submerged in a lake water for 9 months. The analysis of organic matter will be done using 2 different methods, which are: 1 - lyophilization/weighing/incineration/weighing; 2- determination of the presence of organic matter by analyzing samples with the Electronic Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) in Back-Scattered Electrons (BSE) mode. Expected results: The results should allow to determine the quantity and quality of the organic matter present in the 4 study groups and if the 3 adverse conditions modify the type of organic matter present in the enamel. We believe to have very realistic expectations, since we have used 3 different techniques over the last 20 years to determine the organic matter of mature enamel, which is described in several articles from our group. However, it is important to emphasize that we have always had only one article on each of these analyses, given their complexity. Thus, they are techniques that present some difficulty, especially for a Scientific Initiation student, since a high degree of training and theoretical understanding is required. Since the student has already had laboratory training with the PIBIC scholarship for a year, in the initial part of this project, we believe that he has acquired the necessary knowledge to carry out the present project. The results of this project will also be very important for the finalization of the broader project, which aims to compare the behavior of the enamel in the 3 mentioned adverse conditions. Certainly the results of the amount of organic matter for 2 of the mentioned techniques (incineration and SEM-BSE), as proposed in the present project, will provide important quality information for the clarification of the presence of organic matter in the enamel, and if passable peptides be used for human identification are present, as placed in the larger project. (AU)