The fibrous structure of the cemento-dentinal junction in human molars shown by scanning electron microscopy combined with NaOH-maceration

The cemento dentinal junction was studied in acellular and cellular cementum of human mandibular third molars by scanning electron microscopy combined with NaOH-maceration. Scanning electron microscopy with NaOH-maceration was applied to observe the fibrous structure in detail through long sections of the cemento-dentinal junction. In macerated specimens, the cemento dentinal junction was a fibril-poor groove. Some cemental fibrils or fibril bundles penetrated the groove and appeared to intermingle with dentinal fibrils. Prolonged maceration caused detachment of the cemento-dentinal junction irrespective of fibril intermingling allowing observation of the inner cementum surface facing the root dentin. Observations suggested that the fibril intermingling was point-like and present only in places at the cemento-dentinal junction. It was established that NaOH-maceration removes interfibrillar substances effectively in connective tissues and does no damage to the collagen fibril structure and architecture. This study showed the 3-dimensional fibrous structure of the cemento-dentinal junction in human mandibular third molars, and suggested that interfibrillar adhesive substances are more important than the fibril intermingling for the cemento-dentinal attachment.