Resumo

MENON, Livia Maria Liberali; PRADO, Karina Fittipaldi Bombonato  e  SILVA, Ricardo Henrique Alves da. Histological evaluation of dentine and cementum after different periods of burial: an in vitro study. RSBO (Online) [online]. 2011, vol.8, n.2, pp. 131-137. ISSN 1984-5685.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Frequently, bodies are found, in which the only piece available for the human identification process is the tooth, one of the structures most resistant to the environmental changes and external factors to the human body. This research aimed to perform a histological study of the dental elements and the changes that may occur in the dentin-pulp complex after different periods of burial and its use in Forensic Dentistry, in order to verify the possibility of inferring the elapsed period of burial and the histological changes in the dental element. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Extracted third molar teeth (48) were submitted to different burial periods (7, 30, 60 and 180 days) after they were stored in ceramic containers, covered by common soil, and kept outdoors. Then, they were removed and analyzed by decalcification; longitudinal cuts of 6 µm thick were made and stained by hematoxylin-eosin. Histological sections were obtained, and the histological analysis of dentin and cementum were carried out. RESULTS: Qualitative analysis by optical microscope showed that the teeth's mineralized parts were in a good condition (cement and dentin). On the other hand, soft tissues, such as dental pulp and periodontal ligament, were fragmented, and in most cases, absent. CONCLUSION: Dentin and cement did not present significant histological changes, consequently it was not possible to infer the elapsed period of burial.

Palavras-chave : Forensic Anthropology; dental element; Forensic Dentistry.