Effect of Dentin Thickness on the Pulp of Single Rooted Teeth in Severe Chronic Periodontitis: Histological Study

Abstract

Background The issues of dentine thickness on the influence of pulpal changes in teeth with deep periodontal pockets has not been assessed. So the present study evaluates the effect of dentin thickness on the pulp in severe chronic periodontitis.Objectivesi To assess the radicular dentin thickness histologically.ii To histologically assess the pulpal changes due to periodontitis.iii To correlate the effect of radicular dentin thickness and periodontitis on dental pulpMethods Single rooted periodontally compromised tooth was atraumatically extracted. Access opening was done using an extracted tooth and the pulp fixed in formalin solution. After sufficient fixation decalcification was done followed by processing and histological examination. The radicular dentin thickness was measured at 3 reference points and the mean value was compared with histological parameters to assess for any changes.Results Results revealed that various histological changes were observed in the pulp. The mean dentin thickness when compared with various histological parameters revealed varying results. Inflammation and edema did not corelate with changes in dentin thickness whereas fibrosis presence of pulp stone pulp vessels and odontoblastic integrity showed a positive correlation but were not statistically significant. Conclusion Within the limitations of the study although a statistically significant difference was not observed in the root dentin thickness and histological changes in the pulp there is a definitive increase in the severity of pulpal changes associated with inflammation.