Introduction: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the biocompatibility of a self-adhesive gutta-percha material and compare it with that of conventional gutta-percha.
Methods: Standard quantities of bioactive gutta-percha and conventional gutta-percha were directly inserted subcutaneously into the dorsal connective tissue of 30 BALB/c mice according to ISO 10993-6. After 7, 21, and 63 days each, 10 animals were euthanized, and the materials and surrounding tissue were removed. Tissue samples were subjected to histological processing resulting in 5-μm-thick slices stained with hematoxylin-eosin and Gomori trichrome stain. A grade ranging from I-IV was used to classify the inflammatory reaction. The Mann-Whitney U test with Bonferroni correction was used to compare the grade of inflammation induced by the materials at each time point. Qualitative evaluation of biocompatibility over time was also performed.
Results: Bioactive gutta-percha was more biocompatible than conventional gutta-percha at each time interval (P < .05). Tissue exposed to bioactive gutta-percha reached "no inflammation" (grade I) at the 21-day interval, whereas it took 63 days for the conventional gutta-percha to reach the "slight inflammation" level (grade II).
Conclusions: Bioactive gutta-percha presented good tissue reaction at all time points. It may serve as an alternative to gutta-percha in terms of biocompatibility.
Keywords: Bioactive gutta-percha; biocompatibility; dental materials; gutta-percha; root canal filling.
Copyright © 2014 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.