Periodontal and pulpal healing of monkey incisors preserved in tissue culture before replantation.

The effect of delayed replantation and tissue culture as a prevention against root resorption was examined in green Vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops). Extracted incisors were kept in tissue culture medium (Eagle's medium) for 5--14 days before replantation. The extra-alveolar dry period before tissue culture ranged from to 0 to 60 min. Incisors not subjected to tissue culture served as controls. The animals were sacrificed 8 weeks after replantation. The following histologic parameters were registered for each tooth: surface resorption, inflammatory resorption, replacement resorption (ankylosis), downgrowth of pocket epithelium, and periapical inflammatory changes. The evaluation of the pulp included the extent, recorded in mm, of pulp survival. Histometric evaluation showed that teeth immediately placed in tissue culture medium for 5--14 days showed improved periodontal healing, exhibiting significantly less inflammatory resorption than control teeth immediately replanted. Also the extent of pulp survival was significantly increased in teeth replanted after tissue culture. Teeth bench-dried for 60 min and thereafter placed in tissue culture medium also showed a significant reduction in the amount of inflammatory resorption and increased amount of pulp survival compared with control teeth replanted after the 60-min dry extra-alveolar period. Replacement resorption (ankylosis) was found in all teeth in both groups.