Abstract
Formocresol (FC) is routinely used for endodontic treatment of deciduous teeth. It has high permeability to the root and strong antiseptic effects possibly by the denaturing proteins. Therefore, FC treatment may have some influence on the root resorption of deciduous teeth. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of FC on calcified tissue resorption. The difference in resorption between FC treated bone and normal saline (NS) treated control bone was examined by in vivo and in vitro methods.
Rat and rabbit calvariae treated with FC or NS were implanted into rats subcutaneously or intraperitoneally. Osteoclast-like cells were observed around the bone implants. The number of these cells was less in FC treated bone than NS treated but no distinct resorbing lacunae was observed. Calcium contents in both implants increased after implantation. The amount of Ca increase was significantly higher in NS treated bone than in FC treated bone.
Resorption of bone powder by macrophages harvested from thioglycollate-stimulated peritoneal fluid was assayed in culture system. Ca release from FC treated bone was always less than that from NS treated.
Therefore it is suggested that bone becomes resistant to biological resorbing activity by FC treatment.
