[Scanning electron microscopy analysis on root surfaces before and after scalling and citric acid and EDTA...

The most benefic root surface for periodontal regeneration has not been known. Looking for this surface this study used 14 human teeth prepared as testing corpus and treated with scaling and conditioning with citric acid and EDTA, and analysed in scanning electron microscopy. The health teeth surfaces showed regular grains representing broken periodontal ligament fibers by exodontics. The contaminated surfaces showed calculus masses, very porous, and resorption areas. When scalled with hand curettes the surfaces was covered by smear layer. The citric acid conditioning was efficient on smear layer removal, as well as the EDTA gel, and the EDTA liquid solution was not efficient on smear removal.