EVALUATION OF LONG-TERM CALCIUM HYDROXIDE TREATMENT IN AVULSED TEETH - AN IN-VIVO STUDY

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.