Apesar de estudos in vitro terem demonstrado resultados favoráveis ao condicionamento da superfície radicular com agentes desmineralizantes, estudos in vivo não mostraram seus benefícios na cicatrização periodontal. Isto pode ser atribuído a vários fatores, entre os quais, a hipermineralização da superfície dental. Portanto, este estudo in vitro comparou, usando microscopia eletrônica de varredura, o efeito do condicionamento da superfície radicular com diferentes condicionadores (1% e 25% de ácido cítrico, EDTA 24% e 50 mg/mL de cloridrato de tetraciclina) em dentes impactados e dentes que tinham suas raízes expostas ao meio bucal. Um examinador treinado avaliou as microscopias eletrônicas de varredura utilizando um índice de modificação da superfície radicular. Houve uma tendência de maior modificação da superfície radicular no grupo de dentes impactados, sugerindo que o grau de mineralização da raiz influencia a sua desmineralização química.

Although in vitro studies have shown encouraging results for root surface conditioning with demineralizing agents, in vivo studies have failed to show its benefits in periodontal healing. This can be attributed to several factors, among which, the hypermineralization of dental surface. Therefore, this in vitro study compared, using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the effect of root surface conditioning with different conditioners (1% and 25% citric acid, 24% EDTA and 50 mg/mL tetracycline hydrochloride) in impacted teeth and in teeth that had their roots exposed to the oral environment. One trained examiner assessed the SEM micrographs using a root surface modification index. There was a tendency of more root surface modification in the group of impacted teeth, suggesting that the degree of root mineralization influences its chemical demineralization.

The purpose of this clinical study was to investigate if periodontal disease and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are associated. The study included 39 RA patients (test group) and 22 age- and gender-matched healthy individuals (control group). Questionnaires on general and oral health were applied and a complete periodontal exam, including visible plaque, marginal bleeding, attachment loss (AL) and number of teeth present, was also performed by a single calibrated examiner. Diabetes mellitus patients and smokers were excluded. RA patients had fewer teeth, higher prevalence of sites presenting dental plaque and a higher frequency of sites with advanced attachment loss. Although the prevalence of dental plaque was higher in the test group (Chi-square test, p = 0.0006), the percentage of sites showing gingival bleeding was not different (Fisher’s exact test, p > 0.05). Based on our results, we suggest that there is an association between periodontal disease and RA.