T. Dumsha et Ej. Hovland, EVALUATION OF LONG-TERM CALCIUM HYDROXIDE TREATMENT IN AVULSED TEETH - AN IN-VIVO STUDY, International endodontic journal, 28(1), 1995, pp. 7-11
Calcium hydroxide has been advocated for use in avulsed teeth as a tem
porary dressing in an attempt to prevent or inhibit external resorptio
n. However, there have been no long-term histological studies that hav
e examined gutta-percha versus calcium hydroxide treatment in avulsed
teeth. The purpose of this study was to determine the long-term therap
eutic effect of calcium hydroxide therapy in avulsed teeth. Six adult
macaca monkeys were anesthetized and all four maxillary incisors were
extracted and bench-dried for 25 min. The teeth were replanted and spl
inted with composite for approximately 2 weeks. Each animal served as
its own control and the teeth were accessed, instrumented, and filled
with either Ca(OH)(2) or gutta-percha and AH26 cement. All access open
ings were filled with composite. The Ca(OH), was replaced twice during
the experimental period (approximately every 8 weeks). The animals we
re killed between 5 and 7.5 months post-avulsion. The teeth were remov
ed, sectioned, and examined histologically by two examiners. The resul
ts of the histological evaluation of external resorption indicated tha
t there were no statistically significant differences in resorption in
dices between the teeth obturated with gutta percha or with calcium hy
droxide (P > 0.05). Replacement resorption was the primary cause of ro
ot destruction and only a few histological sections exhibited evidence
of inflammatory resorption.