OR 37 The effect of demineralization of resected root ends on cementogenesis

A study in 1993 examined the effect of demineralization of festered root ends on wound healing following periradicular surgery. Based on its microscopic evaluations from 4-45 days, it was proposed that demineralization of resected root ends enhances cementogenesis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the longer term effect of demineralization on, cementogenesis using Mineral Trioxide Aggregate cement (MTA) and amalgam as root end filling materials. After completion of root canal therapy and endodontic surgery on thirty-six roots of mandibular second, third, and fourth premolars of three beagle dogs, half of the root ends at random were etched with 50% citric acid (pH 1.0) for two minutes and the other half received no etching treatment. The root end cavities were then filled with either amalgam or MTA. The animals were sacrificed four months later. Block sections containing the teeth and their surrounding tissues were removed, fixed, decalcified, sectioned, stained with H & E, and examined histomorphometrically in a double blind manner. The resected root ends were examined for cementum formation. The results were statistically analyzed using an independent T test with unequal variance. The results showed cementogenesis over resected root ends in both amalgam and MTA samples. In contrast to amalgam, the use of MTA in the non-etched samples resulted in formation of cementum over this material. No significant difference was found between the amount of cementum formation on the resected root ends with and without acid etching for both amalgam and MTA. It was concluded that cementogenesis occurs on resected root.ends eventually with or without acid etching but this procedure prevents cementogenesis over the.MTA.