Chemical analysis and scanning electron microscopy of acquired pellicle formed in vivo on stannous fluoride treated enamel.

Stannous fluoride (SnF2) has been shown to be an effective caries preventive agent. After topical treatment of enamel surfaces, two reaction products have been demonstrated to precipitate on the surfaces, a larger type of globules, probably a calcium fluoride like product, and a smaller type of globules, probably a tin phosphate. The aim of the present study was to examine the amino acid composition and the formation of the acquired pellicle on SnF2-treated enamel in vivo. The chemical composition was examined by amino acid analysis of pellicle material collected in vivo from SnF2-treated enamel surfaces. Pellicle formation was examined by scanning electron microscopy on SnF2-treated enamel fragments carried in the mouth for 2 h. The results showed that pellicle material was formed in abundant amounts and covered the globular surfaces following the SnF2 treatment. The chemical analyses showed amino acid profiles with high content of acidic and neutral amino acids. The profiles were different from known amino acid profiles obtained from analyses of pellicle material collected from untreated enamel surfaces.