Methodology in specimen fabrication for in vitro dental studies: Standardization of extracted tooth preparation

BACKGROUND: Specimen preparation for in vitro study suffers a general lack of methodological homogeneity, as well as a lack of uniformity in the materials selected for fabricating them. This situation prevents comparisons between studies. When a specimen is not of dental origin it is not possible to study adhesion or bonding techniques realistically. The objective is to design and implement a method of specimen preparation that permits universal standardization for use in in vitro studies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A metal stump of specified dimensions was designed and fabricated by hand. It was scanned, the data digitalized, perfecting and standardizing the dimensions. Ten human molars were adapted to the size and shape of a standard milling block. A Cerec 3D inLab Cerec milling unit was used to prepare the molars to match the digitalized model. RESULTS: Ten specimens with identical dimensions were obtained. CONCLUSIONS: CAD-CAM technology allows the preparation of natural extracted teeth to be standardized and could be used to establish a reproducible method that would facilitate comparison between different in vitro studies, and reduce bias arising from variations in sample fabrication. Key words:Test ceramic, dentin analog, dentin model, dentin samples, methodology.