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A Simplified Technique for the Preparation of Ground Sections

J DENT RES 1964 43: 462 DOI: 10.1177/00220345640430032501 The online version of this article can be found at: http://jdr.sagepub.com/content/43/3/462.citation

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A Simplified Technique for the Preparation of Ground Sections

D. F. WEBER Departent of Histology,

.lfarqle/le Un i7!crsits, Sc/hool of Dentistry, 11 il worker, 11 'icons(in

IncreasedI use of miicroradligraphy dlurillg the p~ast (lecadle has given uIS much vxalual-ile information concelrning the niuneralizeti dlental tissues. Considerable refinenient in the mietho(d has taken place, but the problem of preparing suitalIle grounti sections is still a pertinent one. Mechanical sectioning machines are excellent )lt their initial cost is high., and it is imlpossille consistently to cut sections below 30 P in thickness. Section pireparattion by hand grinding techniques ilescriletl inl the literature is at lest very time Consuming. T1hl micthod tolie slescribeed here embodies sonic of the technical procedures used in the hand grinding methods liut has a modification that appirecialily reduces the )reparation time. TI'he tissue to be sectioned is imbedded ill a plastic medium. Methyl methacry late is used routinely. 'Fhe block containing the tissue is then cut to the dlesired plan using it convetitiotld dental model trimmnier. The grindling wheel of this machine leaves a remiarkalbly smooth surface. If Cicsirec however, this surface mav lie polished fix any of the methods previously described in the literature. Fremlin, l-FardI\ick (Ar/i. rai Biotl., 5:55-60, 1961) have reportedly ain excellent method. No. 4/0 Mtathieson, and emery polishing paper followed bvy jewelers' rouge Nxas found to ie quite satisfactory This surface is then glued toa pliece of glass I inich square with a commercial adhesive.* TFhese glass squares are cut from tllicroscole slides. \ cork is gluedl to the opi)osite side of the slide with the central plortion of the section over the center of the cork. 'Ihis acts its a handlle for mranually atlvancing the specimen into the blacle of the model trimimner. Using the area of the wheel nearest the hub re(luces the amount of vibration and l)revenits fracture of the specimen. Sections of 20 --30g can b)e routinely prep)atre(l lsx this technique. If thinner sect ions are required, the specimen can lie further reduced by hand gridling the specimen (while still on the glass slide) xith carborulundum abrasive e paper followed ly enierx paper. Sections ire removed fromt the slide by immersion in warmi. water for several hours This method reduces the time required to prepare sections in a i(le rluxge of thicknesses and( utilizes inexpensive cluipiment that is readily' available (ct mentall institutions. The acconiplan>ing photographs of it ground section of dentin (2t ju) and( raldiograph of a similar area in(licate the ellI cacy of the tech
nlt tic.

I'm(. 1. roundlyl section of dentin shoxxing the tub~ules cut in cross section. In transmitted light (orig. ~inag. Xl100). 1d. 2..Radiograph of an area from. the same section (orig. mag. 1100
F

M'r. Wi~lliion M inn is responsible for the excellent phlotomnicrographs. Addfit-ionall information is available on request to the autthors.
R4eceivedl for publicationl Octobler 30, 1963.
*

Eastman1 910 adhesive, Tennecssee E1astmlan (Co., Kingsport, 'Leoni.

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