Evaluation of Struthio camelus eggshell as an in vitro alternative to extracted human teeth in preliminary screening studies on dental erosion.

The experiment showed that assessing surface loss is essential in addition to hardness testing, particularly as certain experimental conditions may produce a false perception of tissue recovery despite the actual surface loss. By analyzing the response of ostrich eggshell specimens to erosive challenges, researchers were able to identify an "overlooked" reduction in hardness in enamel specimens. The differences in the structure, chemical composition, and biological response to erosion in the presence of artificial saliva between enamel and ostrich eggshell could explain their distinct behaviors.