Nondestructive Microcomputed Tomography Evaluation of Mineral Density in Exfoliated Teeth with Hypophosphatasia

Most cases of hypophosphatasia(HPP) exhibit early loss of primary teeth. Results of microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) analysis of teethwith HPP have rarely been reported. The purpose of the present study was to describe the mineral density distribution and mapping of exfoliated teethfrom an HPP patient using micro-CT. Four exfoliated teethwere obtained from a patient with HPP. Enamel and dentin mineral densities of exfoliated teethwere measured on micro-CT. The mean values of enamel and dentin mineral densities in mandibular primary central incisorswith HPP were 1.61 and 0.98 g/cm3, respectively. The corresponding values in the mandibular primary lateral incisorswere 1.60 and 0.98 g/cm3, respectively. Enamel hypoplasiawas seen in the remaining teeth, both maxillary and mandibular primary canines and first and second molars. Micro-CT enables nondestructive, noninvasive evaluation and is useful for studying human hard tissuesobtained from patients.