Introduction: The aim of this study was to elucidate whether the use of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) in endodontic therapy in human teeth leads to the same regeneration of the apical tissues as observed in animals.
Methods: Four human teeth were identified in a policlinic that had been treated endodontically with MTA and had to be extracted for other reasons than just endodontic failure. All teeth were processed for histologic and one for immunohistochemical analyses to analyze the histologic response of the periapical structure to the former treatment with MTA.
Results: All identified teeth showed clinical and radiographic signs of healing at the time of extraction. In the histologic evaluation, all teeth showed a layer of cementlike tissues at least on the MTA surface. Further double immunofluorescence analyses for collagen type I and type III revealed protein expression and colocalization of the 2 proteins, implicating formation of periodontal ligamentlike tissue, presumably fibers.
Conclusions: Histologic healing of the human periodontium to MTA corresponds to the healing pattern shown in animal studies. Cementlike tissues were formed on the surface of MTA, which proves regeneration of the periodontal ligament.
Keywords: Cementum; endodontic therapy; mineral trioxide aggregate; periodontal ligament; regeneration.
Copyright © 2017 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.