الفهرس 
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Abstract
This study was conducted to compare the effect of three different surface treatments on the microhardness of artificial white spot lesions. A total of 60 bovine specimens were prepared for microhardness testing. Specimens were assigned to three main groups (n = 20 each) according to the surface treatment performed (artificial saliva, resin infiltrant, CPP-ACP). Each group was divided into four subgroups (n = 5 each) according to time of measurement (immediate, after 2 weeks, after 4 weeks, and after 8 weeks). An additional 5 specimens of ground enamel surface served as a positive control.
Microhardness of all specimens was measured using Vickers’s microhardness tester. A representative specimen from each group was evaluated under an environmental scanning electron microscope. Mean and standard deviation for microhardness of all specimens were calculated. Two-way ANOVA revealed that different surface treatment and time of measurement had no significant effect on microhardness of artificial white spot lesions. Different types of surface treatment showed a significant effect on artificial white spot lesion microhardness. Resin infiltrant (ICON®) showed the highest significant effect on microhardness followed by CPP-ACP then artificial saliva. Different times of measurement also showed a statistically significant effect on microhardness of artificial white spot lesion. After 4 and 8 weeks, mean microhardness were statistically significantly higher compared to immediately and after 2 weeks. CPP-ACP demonstrated comparable results to resin infiltrant after 4 and 8 weeks, but performed less at immediately and after 2 weeks. Also, artificial saliva performed the least at immediately, after 2 and 4 weeks, and achieved comparable results to both resin infiltrant and CPP-ACP after 8 weeks.