Effect of immediate calcium hydroxide treatment and permanent root-filling on periodontal healing in contaminated replanted teeth.

The effect of immediate permanent root-filling and immediate intracanal calcium hydroxide treatment on experimentally contaminated and necrotized periodontal membranes (PDM) in avulsed and subsequently replanted monkey teeth was studied. Almost the entire root surface in the non-endodontically treated control teeth were covered with inflammatory resorption. A significant shift towards ankylosis not associated with root resorption (greater than 80% of the total root surface area) was noted following calcium hydroxide treatment. About two thirds of the root surfaces from the teeth with permanent root fillings showed surface resorptions or ankylosis preceded by root resorption. The root surface area which would have been covered by inflammatory resorption, unless endodontic treatment had been implemented, were instead predominantly covered by either surface resorption (permanent root filling) or ankylosis (calcium hydroxide treatment). Ankylosis compared with surface resorption may in the long term lead to progressive loss of root substance due to replacement resorption. It was concluded that calcium hydroxide may be an excellent initial intracanal treatment in teeth with healthy PDM, but care should be taken not to risk unnecessary development of ankylosis by prolonged treatment of teeth with compromised PDM.