A radiographic study of the effect of various retrograde fillings on periapical healing after replantation.

An effective retrograde sealing procedure places great demands upon both technique and materials. Prevention of micro-leakage, biocompatibility and stability of the material in the apical tissues are very important. To evaluate potential retrograde filling materials, a replantation model has been developed in which extracted permanent molars were replanted in monkeys after apicectomy of each root, preparation of a 2-mm deep retrograde cavity and its sealing with various dental materials. Prior to retro-filling the remaining pulp was exposed to saliva. Apicected molars which were infected and did not receive retrograde fillings served as positive controls. Periapical healing was evaluated radiographically after 8 weeks based on planimetric measurements of the size of the periapical radiolucency. The following dental materials were tested: amalgam, glass ionomer cement, calcium-hydroxide lining cement, AH 26 root canal sealer, various zinc oxide-eugenol cements, Cavit, and gutta-percha with various sealers. The materials which were associated with better apical healing than the infected controls were glass ionomer cement, Cavit, and the zinc oxide-eugenol cements. When plain zinc oxide-eugenol or IRM were combined with a gutta-percha core, healing was best and not statistically different from normal apices. It was concluded that radiographic assessment at 8 weeks of molar teeth retrograde filled prior to replantation could be a valuable method for discrimination of potentially useful materials in vivo.