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Collagen Degradation in Endodontically Treated Teeth after Clinical Function
1 Dental Materials and Restorative Dentistry Department, University of Siena, Italy; Correspondence: * corresponding author, kfctay{at}netvigator.com Endodontically treated teeth restored with posts are susceptible to coronal leakage after long-term function. We hypothesize that demineralized collagen matrices (DCMs) created in dentin by acidic zinc phosphate cement within the dowel spaces degrade with time. Forty-two post-restored teeth were extracted after three periods of clinical service and were examined, by means of scanning and transmission electron microscopy, for the status of the DCMs. SEM revealed a progressive degradation of the DCMs, becoming less dense after 3 to 5 years, losing structural integrity after 6 to 9 years, and partially disappearing after 10 to 12 years. TEM revealed evidence of collagenolytic activity within the DCMs, with loss of cross-banding and unraveling into microfibrils, and gelatinolytic activity that resulted in disintegration of the microfibrils. Bacterial colonization and the release of bacterial enzymes and of host-derived matrix metalloproteinases may contribute to the degradation of collagen fibrils in root dentin after clinical function.
Key Words: In vivo root dentin collagen fibrils bacteria matrix metalloproteinases
Journal of Dental Research, Vol. 83, No. 5,
414-419 (2004) |
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