Results
A total of 48 samples were prepared. Samples found to have defects in
the pre-application scanning images during micro-CT analysis were
excluded from the study. The number of samples in the sodium bicarbonate
group decreased to 15, in the glycine group to 12, and in the erythritol
group to 14.
Defect depth
The mean defect depth values of sodium bicarbonate, glycine, and
erythritol groups on enamel and cementum surfaces were shown in Table 1.
The mean defect depth on enamel and cementum surfaces in the sodium
bicarbonate group was observed significantly greater than the
erythritol and glycine groups at
both power settings (p <0.05, Table 1). There were
statistically significant differences between the erythritol and glycine
groups on enamel surfaces (p <0.016). The mean defect
depth in the glycine group was greater than the erythritol group. At a
medium power setting, the mean defect depth in the erythritol group on
the cementum surfaces was observed significantly greater than a glycine
group (p <0.016). At maximum power setting, on cementum
surfaces, no statistically significant difference was observed between
the glycine and erythritol groups (p >0.016). The
mean defect depth at the maximum power setting was significantly higher
than at the medium power setting in all groups (p <0.05,
Table 1). There were no statistically significant differences between
the mean defect depth on enamel and cementum surfaces in the glycine
group (p >0.05).
Defect volume
The mean defect volume values of sodium bicarbonate, glycine, and
erythritol groups on enamel and cementum surfaces were shown in Table 2.
At both power settings, there were no statistically significant
differences between the mean defect volume on enamel surfaces in the
erythritol and glycine groups and the erythritol and sodium bicarbonate
groups (p >0.016). The glycine group
had significantly less mean defect volume than the sodium bicarbonate
group (p <0.016). The mean defect volume at the maximum
power setting was significantly higher than at the medium power setting
in all powder groups (p <0.05, Table 2) whereas the
erythritol group had significantly less mean defect volume than the
sodium bicarbonate group (p <0.016). At
maximum power settings, the mean defect volume on enamel surfaces was
significantly lower than the mean defect volume on cementum surfaces in
all groups (p <0.05)
Demineralization depth
The mean demineralization depth values of sodium bicarbonate, glycine,
and erythritol groups on enamel and cementum surfaces were shown in
Table 3. At both power settings, no statistically significant
differences were observed between the mean demineralization depth on
enamel surfaces in all groups (p >0.05, Table 3).
Also, at a medium power setting, no statistically significant
differences were observed between the mean demineralization depth on
cementum surfaces in all groups (p >0.05, Table 3).
The mean demineralization depth at the maximum power setting was
significantly higher than at the medium power setting in all powder
groups (p <0.05, Table 3).
Tissue mineral density (TMD)
The mean TMD values of sodium bicarbonate, glycine, and erythritol
groups on enamel and cementum surfaces were shown in Table 4. No
statistically significant differences were observed between the mean TMD
values of the samples in all groups before the application
(p >0.05, Table 4) while the mean TMD in the sodium
bicarbonate group had significantly greater than the mean TMD in the
erythritol and glycine groups after the application
(p <0.05, Table 4). In all groups, the mean TMD after
the application was significantly less than the mean TMD before the
application (p <0.05, Table 4).