title: Influence of calcium hydroxide addition to AH Plus sealer on its biocompatibility.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to determine whether the addition of 5% calcium hydroxide to AH Plus sealer improves its biocompatibility in subcutaneous connective tissue of rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty female rats distributed into 3 groups of 10 animals each received subcutaneous dorsal implants of silicone tubes filled with AH Plus (Group 1), AH Plus containing 5% (wt/wt) calcium hydroxide (Group 2), or no material (Group 3: control). The animals were killed after 14 days and the subcutaneous tissue containing the tubes was removed and processed for histological analysis. Biocompatibility was assessed by evaluating the inflammatory response to the implants qualitatively and quantitatively. Data were analyzed statistically by the Wilcoxon and Kruskal-Wallis tests (alpha = 0.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The area adjacent to the implant was characterized by nonspecific chronic inflammation and was qualitatively similar in the 3 groups. Animals implanted with AH Plus/calcium hydroxide showed significantly less intense inflammatory response when compared with the animals implanted with AH Plus alone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The addition of calcium hydroxide to AH Plus root canal sealer improved its histopathological behavior within 14 days of analysis, producing less severe inflammatory response and less cytotoxicity when implanted in the subcutaneous tissue of rats.
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Plastic Surgery, Federal University of São Paulo, UNIFESP, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ricardo Leão
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Renato Santos
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Oliveira Filho
authors.forename: Heitor de Carvalho
authors.initials: Hde C
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Marcelo Fabiano
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: de Franco
authors.forename: Milva Maria Simões E Silva
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Enokihara
authors.forename: Marco Antonio Hungaro
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Duarte
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000633:toxicity*; D002126:Calcium Hydroxide / Q000633:toxicity*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004853:Epoxy Resins / Q000633:toxicity; D005260:Female; D051381:Rats; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials / Q000633:toxicity*; D040521:Subcutaneous Tissue / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004853:Epoxy Resins; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials; C534916:epoxy resin-based root canal sealer; D002126:Calcium Hydroxide