Quantitative scintigraphic analysis of pulp revascularization in autotransplanted teeth in dogs.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pulpal changes associated with autogenous single-rooted immature tooth transplantation in dogs, using either one, or two-stage surgical techniques.


METHODS
Teeth from 3 beagle dogs, 5 months old, were extracted and transplanted to mechanically prepared recipient sockets. Group (A), where the teeth were transplanted using a one-stage method to recipient beds prepared immediately before transplantation. Group (B), where the teeth were transplanted using a two-stage method in which the recipient beds were prepared and left to heal for 7 days before transplantation. Clinical examinations were done every week during 9 weeks. After 9 weeks, the animals were injected with ⁹⁹(m)Technetium hydroxylmethylene diphosphonate (⁹⁹(m)Tc-HMDP) and 3h after injection, a whole body scintigraphic acquisition was performed. After scintigraphic acquisition the animals were euthanized and the teeth extracted and its radioactivity counted in a well counter calibrated to ⁹⁹(m)Tc. With the data obtained, the percentage of activity injected was calculated for each tooth. The data for each group of teeth were evaluated and analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test (p=0.05).


RESULTS
All the transplanted teeth in both groups survived. No statistically significant difference was found in the absorption of the ⁹⁹(m)Tc-HMDP, between the treatment groups (p=0.464) and between them and the control group (Group A vs. control p=0.713 and Group B vs. control p=0.157).


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrated that there was no difference between the two surgical techniques in terms of the pulp revascularization in transplanted teeth.
Ferreira
Manuel Marques
MM
Department of Dentistry, University Hospital of Coimbra, Portugal. m.mferreira@netcabo.pt
Botelho
Maria Filomena
MF
Abrantes
Margarida
M
Oliveiros
Barbara
B
Carrilho
Eunice Virgínia
EV
D000818:Animals; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004285:Dogs; D015902:Gamma Cameras; D007180:Incisor / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000637:transplantation*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000502:physiology*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D014090:Tooth Replantation; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D051598:Whole Body Imaging
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate