Evolution, emerging patterns, and spatiotemporal trends in scientific research on the effects of X-ray exposure on enamel properties: A scientometric analysis

Introduction When exposed to X-rays at appropriate doses used for dental radiography, dental enamel and dentin are not at risk for changes in their nanomechanical characteristics. Therefore, this study aimed to comprehensively examine the body of scientific literature on the impact of X-ray irradiation on the properties of dental enamel and dentin. Methods To achieve this goal, a thorough scientometric investigation was conducted using data extracted from the Web of Science (WOS). The selected timeframe for the analysis was January 1990 to July 2023. Various metrics were employed in the analysis, including citation count, publication count, author count, annual growth rate percentage, sources of publication, collaborative efforts among authors, and evolving research patterns across time and space. Results Over the study period, an annual growth rate of 9.01% was observed in the volume of research publications. The collective body of work involved a substantial number of authors, totaling 7776 individuals. Among these, 58 authors exclusively authored single-authored documents, whereas 67 documents were solely authored and exhibited an average of 5.27 co-authors per document. Within the top 10 most prolific scientific journals, “Dental Materials” and “Journal of Dentistry” emerged as leaders, each boasting 61 publications. The analysis revealed an inverse relationship between the number of authors and the quantity of written documents. For instance, 945 authors contributed to 2 documents (accounting for 12.2% of all authors), whereas 324 authors contributed to 3 documents (comprising 4.2% of all authors). Interestingly, a period of relative inactivity and citation scarcity was noted between 2000 and 2003, signifying limited interconnectedness with other years. Conclusion The findings of this study provide a robust foundation for prospective investigations and advances in both dental and medical fields. Ultimately, this research significantly contributes to the deepening of our understanding of this pivotal subject matter, influencing its growth trajectory, and paving the way for impactful future studies.