Removal of the apical one-third of the root improves the fixation process of the dental pulp in teeth

Abstract

The fixation process in histology is an important process that will eventually determine the quality of the histology slides. Fixation of the dental pulp involves the entry of the fixative agent into the dental pulp through the root canals that are found at the apical part of the root. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of four methods of tooth preparation (teeth cut longitudinally or cervically, removal of apical third of root and whole uncut teeth) on the fixation process of the dental pulp for producing high quality histology slides. Among the four methods of tooth preparation, removal of the apical one-third of the root produced high quality histology slides as fixation of the dental pulp was improved and hence, preservation of the pulp’s architecture and contents were achieved. It is concluded that removal of the apical one-third of the root improves the fixation process of the dental pulp in teeth.