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Updated: Aug 19, 2026
Three-dimensional Inflammatory Human Tissue Equivalents of Gingiva
Published on: April 3, 2018
Effect of calcium hydroxide and chlorhexidine based gutta-percha points on gingival fibroblasts and epithelial tumor
B Willershausen1, B Hagedorn, H Tekyatan
1Department for Operative Dentistry, Johannes Gutenberg University-Mainz, Germany. willersh@mail.uni-mainz.de
Aims And Methods:
The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the possible effect of different endodontic calcium hydroxide and chlorhexidine-based gutta-percha points, on two different human cell culture systems. Two different calcium hydroxide (Roeko, Langenau, Germany) and one chlorhexidine (Activ Point/Roeko, Langenau, Germany) gutta-percha points were tested with gingival fibroblasts and epithelial tumor cells over a period of six days (n = 12). Conventional gutta-percha points (VDW, Munich, Germany) and cells that were not exposed to any substances served as controls (n = 12). Study parameters included cell vitality, cell count, protein synthesis and cell proliferation.
Results:
All tested materials induced cell growth specific alterations. Chlorhexidine-based gutta-percha points showed a significant lower protein synthesis with both, gingival fibroblasts (0.013 +/- 0.009 mg/ml) and epithelial tumor cells (0.07 +/- 0.039 mg/ml), when compared with the controls (p > 0.05). Protein synthesis increase of the epithelial tumor cells (0.581 +/- 0.013 mg/ml, control) was observed with the conventional gutta-percha points (0.688 +/- 0.078 mg/ml) and with both gutta-percha points containing different calcium hydroxide-based formulations (0.776 +/- 0.115 and 0.7 +/- 0.047 mg/ ml).
Conclusions:
Under the conditions of this study, chlorhexidine containing gutta-percha points showed the highest effect on cell growth inhibition. No significant differences were observed between the tested material and the two different cell culture types.
