Abstract
In order to investigate the effects of continuous and pH cyclic remineralization, artificial enamel carious lesions were produced on sections of about 2mm thickness of bovine incisor. 0.1M lactic acid solution adjusted to a pH of 4.3 and saturity of $2.98{\times}10^{-8}$ was used as demineralizing solution. The lesions were remineralized with the solution of pH 7.0 containing 1.5mM $CaCl_2$, 0.9 mM $KH_2PO_4$ and 20mM Hepes. In continuous remineralization procedure, the specimens were immersed in remineralizing solution continuously for 72 hours. In pH cyclic remineralization procedure, the sections were immersed in remineralizing solution for 6 hours and in dermineralizing solution for 20 minutes alternately during 72 hours. The effect of remineralization was determined by polarizing microscopy and electron microprobe analysis. The obtained results were as follows. 1. In case of continuous remineralization, the lesion depth was reduced partially or unchanged. 2. In pH cyclic condition, the thichness of surface layer and the lesion depth were increased simultaneously. 3. The mineral content of lesion was recovered to the level of sound enamel by remineraiization.