Abstract
Our previous reports have clearly demonstrated that curettage of superficial cementum in periodontally involved teeth during flap surgery can provide a suitable root surface for gingival tissue attachment. However, the results also showed that some deep lacunae occasionally remained even after surface-cementum-curettage. The present study was designed to evaluate the distribution, area and depth of resorption lacunae in periodontally involved human teeth under various canal conditions (1. vital teeth; 2. obturated teeth; 3. discolored obturated teeth; 4. teeth with infected root canals 5. discolored teeth with infected root canals) in order to examine whether superficial cemental curettage is applicable to such teeth. There was no significant difference (p<0.05) in the distribution of resorption lacunae among any of the groups. The depth of resorption lacunae in each group ranged from 15.2. μm (vital teeth) to 61.42, μm (colored teeth with infected root canals). The depth of resorption in other groups, except colored teeth with infected root canals, was less than 40. μm. The results suggest that the curetting -surface-cementum procedure exposes healthy cementum leaving no resorption lacunae in most periodontally involved teeth.
