Summary:
- Purpose: To examine with the scanning electron microscope and X-ray microanalyzer the surface changes of silver cones in the osseous tissue of the rat.
Materials/Methods:
- Size 100 silver cones were cut into sections 2 mm long and autoclaved.
- Sections of silver cones were implanted in tibial bone wounds in 36 Sprague-Dawley rats.
- Groups of six rats each were killed at monthly intervals up to 6 months then specimens were examined by SEM and by X-ray microanalysis.
- Channel windows were set to optimize counting of silver, sulfur, and chlorine peaks.
Most highlighted Results:
- (78%) of silver cone materials were present within the implant site at the various sampling periods of the study.
- Implants were tightly bound by fibrous connective tissue, and were either partially or completely covered by the new bone.
- Silver and sulfur K𝜶 X-ray peaks were emitted from both the implant and the bone surface.
- Sulfur and chlorine on the surface of the implant, relative to the amount of silver, increased to a maximum at three months after implantation.
- The results of the study indicate that the surface of a silver cone corrodes rapidly in bone
Clinical significance:
A reevaluation of the use of silver cone as a root canal filling material should be considered.
