Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 6, 2026
10:26
Inducing Apical Periodontitis in Mice
Published on: August 6, 2019
Histological processing of teeth and periodontal tissues for light microscopy analysis
Gerluza Aparecida Borges Silva1, Adriana Moreira, José Bento Alves
1Department of Morphology, ICB, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. gerluza@terra.com.br
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|December 15, 2010
Summary
Routine histological techniques can yield high-quality teeth and periodontium preparations with specific processing care. This includes using 10% buffered neutral formalin and 10% EDTA for fixation and demineralization, enabling detailed morphological and molecular analysis.
Area of Science:
- Oral biology
- Histology
- Dental research
Background:
- Histological preparation of teeth and periodontium requires specific techniques for quality results.
- Standard protocols often need adjustments for optimal processing of dental tissues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To detail a routine histological protocol for teeth and periodontium.
- To present a reproducible cutting-grinding technique for undecalcified teeth histology.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing 10% buffered neutral formalin for fixation and 10% pH 7.3 EDTA for demineralization.
- Implementing specific processing steps: access duct formation, complete demineralizing agent removal, and extended dehydration, clearing, and paraffin embedding times.
- Employing a cutting-grinding technique for undecalcified isolated teeth.
- Sectioning samples to 6 μm thickness and staining with hematoxylin and eosin.
Main Results:
- Satisfactory quality histological preparations of teeth and periodontium were achieved using routine techniques with specific processing care.
- The described protocol allows for serial sectioning suitable for histochemical and immunohistochemical analyses.
- The cutting-grinding protocol provides a method for evaluating mineralized phases of isolated human teeth.
Conclusions:
- Routine histological techniques, when carefully applied, are effective for preparing teeth and periodontium for morphological and morphometric evaluations.
- The protocol supports advanced analyses like histochemistry and immunohistochemistry.
- A detailed cutting-grinding protocol for undecalcified teeth is presented as a reproducible method for research and teaching laboratories.
Related Concept Videos
01:03Fixation and Sectioning
Two basic types of preparation are used to visualize specimens with a light microscope: wet mounts and fixed specimens.
The simplest type of preparation is the wet mount, in which the specimen is placed in a drop of liquid on the slide. A liquid specimen can be directly deposited on the slide using a dropper. Solid specimens, such as skin scraping, can be placed on the slide before adding a drop of liquid to prepare the wet mount. Sometimes the liquid is simply water, but stains are often added...
The simplest type of preparation is the wet mount, in which the specimen is placed in a drop of liquid on the slide. A liquid specimen can be directly deposited on the slide using a dropper. Solid specimens, such as skin scraping, can be placed on the slide before adding a drop of liquid to prepare the wet mount. Sometimes the liquid is simply water, but stains are often added...
01:20Preparation of Samples for Electron Microscopy
To be visualized by an electron microscope, either transmission or scanning, biological samples need to be fixed (stabilized) so the electron beam does not destroy them and dried thoroughly (desiccated/dehydrated) so the vacuum does not affect them. Fixation needs to be done as quickly as possible because the sample properties will start changing as soon as it is removed from its natural environment. For example, in a tissue sample, the oxygen levels begin decreasing, causing an altered...