Näsström K, Petersson A, Konrad P
Department of Oral Radiology, School of Dentistry, University of Lund, Malmö, Sweden.
Scand J Dent Res. 1989 Aug;97(4):301-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0722.1989.tb01617.x.
This study describes the effects of intravenously given corticosteroids on dentin formation in adult rat molars. Six rats twice a day received corticosteroids 20 mg/kg for 8 days, 10 mg/kg for 13 days, and 5 mg/kg for 19 days. Six rats given a heterotopic heart transplant received 10 mg/kg of corticosteroids twice a day for 40-64 days. Six rats were used as controls. Tetracycline was given at the start of the experiment and after 3 wk of treatment. After 40-46 days the rats were killed. Light microscopic examination of the molars showed no differences in the dentin formation or in the predentin zone between the experimental and control rats. In the ultraviolet light microscope two lines of tetracycline were visible along the root canal walls in both experimental groups. There was an obvious distance between the two lines, which indicated formation of new dentin. In the control group no formation of dentin was visible.