THE EFFECT OF ROOT CANAL TREATMENT ON CERTAIN INFLAMMATORY MEDIATORS AND IMMUNOCOMPETENT CELLS OF HUMAN CHRONIC PERIAPICAL LESIONS

Abstract

Forty-seven human periapical tissue spec1mens were used in this study. They were obtained from normal healthy patients with no systemic diseases and aged from 20-40 years old. Five specimens were normal tissue obtained from tooth follicles around fully impacted unerrupted third molars and served as negative control group. The other forty-two specimens were chronic human periapical lesions. They were divided into three groups. Ten chronic periapical lesions served as positive control group. They were obtained after extraction of the involved teeth and no endodontic intervention was made prior to extraction. This allowed the examination of the immunocompetent cells and inflammatory mediators of these lesions before endodontic treatment. This group was subdivided into two subgroups: Subgroup II.a: consisted of five cases, where the patient had his tooth opened with direct communication with the oral cavity at the time of extraction. Subgroup II. b: consisted of five cases, where the patient had his tooth closed ,,•ith no direct communication with the oral cavity. The other thirty-two chronic periapical lesions were divided into two groups: single visit and multiple Yisit endodontic groups. Each group consisted of sixteen specimens. In single Yisit endodontic group, root canal treatment was performed in one visit. On the other hand, in multiple visit endodontic group, root canal treatment \\C.S perfonned in three visits. Each of these two groups was further subdivided into two subgroups: subgroup a: consisted of 8 cases, where the patient had his tooth opened with direct communication to the oral cavity at the time of starting the treatment. Subgroup b: consisted of 8 cases, where the patient had his tooth closed with no direct communication to the oral cavity. Periradicular surgery \Vas performed seventy-two hours after obturating the root canal space and the periapical lesions were then obtained.