Conventional X-ray analysis of porcine (Sus domesticus) periodontal and dental tissue subjected to high temperature

Resumen

Introduction: The implementation of animal models for thestudy of periodontal and dental tissues of teeth articulated intotheir sockets and subjected to high temperatures allows theestablishment of repetitive parameters which might contribute toidentifi cation processes. Aim: To describe radiographic changesof pig’s (Sus domesticus) periodontal and dental tissues subjectedto high temperatures. Material and methods: An in vitro pseudoexperimental,descriptive and observational study was undertakenin order to assess radiological changes of periodontal and dentaltissues of 60 domestic pig’s teeth which had been subjected tohigh temperatures (200, 400, 600, 800 and 1,000 oC). Results:The dental and periodontal tissues subject of this researcharticle presented strong resistance to high temperatures withoutconsiderable variation of their micro-structure. Thus, physicalchanges (dimensional stability, fi ssures, cracks and fractures) whichtook place as temperature increased, could be described using aconventional X-ray. Conclusions: Radiographic examination ofteeth articulated in their sockets can be established as a mechanismto determine the temperature at which the tooth was subjected. Thiscould be used in processes of dental identification and medicallegalautopsy documentation in cases of burned, carbonized orincinerated human remains. Domestic pigs (Sus domesticus) canbe regarded as a suitable experimental animal models to study theaforementioned changes. Nevertheless, a study involving humanteeth articulated in their own socket is recommended in order todetermine whether the radiographic fi ndings herein described arereplicated and can be extrapolated.