Scanning Electron Microscopic Examination of Root Canal Walls of Deciduous Molars with Necrotic Pulp

Abstract

The root canal walls of twenty -five deciduous molar teeth with exposed and necrotic pulps were examined using the scanning electron microscope. Immediately after extraction, all teeth were fixed in Kamosky's solution. The coronal portion of the tooth was sectioned at about 2mm above the enamel cemental junction.The mesial and distal roots were separat~d and either split in the mesio-distal or bucco-lingual direction. All specimens were prepared for SEM. Obsevations showed that all roots were infected with organisms consisting of cocci and short rods. Some of the cocci had penetrated the dentine layer. However, the distribution of organisms is. not uniform throughout the canals. Bacterial invasion is most in the coronal region and reduces towards the apical region: Accompanying bacterial invasion is root canal walls deterioration. The odontoblastic processes are the first to deteriorate followed by the predentine layer.