3D electron microscopy investigations of human dentin at the micro/nano-scale using focused ion beams based nanostructuring

Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C4RA14364G

In this study, high resolution electron microscopy techniques, such as Focused Ion Beam (FIB), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) allowed for revealing micro and nano features within human dentin with high definition and accuracy. The samples were prepared using FIB based advanced nanostructuring techniques in a dual-beam instrument. The related secondary electron (SE) image tomographs were acquired by means of stacking the images from FIB slice-series for monitoring micro-sized dentinal tubules, whereas FIB-structured pin-like samples were investigated at the TEM for observing the collagen fibrils at the nanoscale. The complimentary analysis helped to reveal the microstructure and morphology of human dentin in three dimensions in detail.