Hj. Staehle et al., EFFECT OF ROOT-CANAL FILLING MATERIALS CONTAINING CALCIUM HYDROXIDE ON THE ALKALINITY OF ROOT DENTIN, Endodontics & dental traumatology, 11(4), 1995, pp. 163-168
The effect of root canal filling pastes containing calcium oxide resp.
calcium hydroxide on the alkalinity of extracted human teeth was inve
stigated using a colour indicator (cresol red). An aqueous suspension
of calcium hydroxide (Pulpdent), which is normally used for temporary
root canal filling, most consistently produced alkalinity. Removal of
the smear layer following instrumentation of the root canal led to inc
reased proportion of alkaline-positive spots in dentinal locations dis
tant from the canal. A clearly smaller effect was found with a calcium
salicylate cement (Sealapex) and an oil-paste (Gangraena Merz), both
of which are available for definite root canal fillings. Following rem
oval of the smear layer, these hard-setting preparations caused modera
te alkalinity in dentin adjacent to the canal but no effect was observ
ed in locations more distant from the canal. Neither at locations adja
cent to nor distant from the root canal was alkalinity found when anot
her calcium salicylate cement (Apexit) was used. Apparently the releas
e of hydroxyl ions into root dentin from calcium hydroxide containing
root canal filling materials is not solely influenced by the absolute
amount of calcium hydroxide, but also depends on other ingredients whi
ch variably inhibit the release of these ions.