Aluminablasting of human tooth enamel.

As part of a programme aimed at enhancing the degree of bonding that can be developed between dental polymer and human tooth enamel, the enamel has been subjected to two types of pretreatment, namely, aluminablasting (a mechanical etching) and aluminablasting followed by surface etching with orthophosphoric acid. Analysis of the surfaces so prepared by scanning electron microscopy has shown that enamel patterns with different degrees of retention ability have been obtained, and that the surfaces should be capable of bonding with dental polymer.