FE-SEM Evaluation of Dental Specimens Prepared by Different Methods for In Vitro Contamination

Figure 1

(a–o) FE-SEM images from coronal, middle and apical thirds of samples of each experimental group. Group 1: (a) (coronal), (b) (middle), and (c) (apical) evidence of dirt obscuring the tubules. Group 2: (d) (coronal), (e) (middle), and (f) (apical) dirt were present. In (d) note the absence of dirt, but with morphological alteration. The middle third was clean, however it shows obscured tubules. Group 3: (g) (coronal) destruction of peritubular dentin, (h) (middle) obstruction in some tubules, and (i) (apical) evident dirt obscured in all tubules. Group 4: (j) (coronal), (k) (middle), and (l) (apical) no evidence of dirt in the three thirds, but in all thirds some evidence of intra- and intertubular destruction. Group 5: (m) (coronal), (n) (middle), and (o) (apical) with some bits of dert in the middle third (arrow).