Revitalising Dentin Surfaces: Unlocking Periodontal Regeneration Potential through Cutting-edge Citric Acid Techniques

Introduction: Teeth affected by periodontitis exhibit an increased mineral content and endotoxins. They do not harmonise with the neighbouring periodontal cells, whose growth is essential for periodontal regeneration. This scanning electron microscope (SEM) study evaluated and compared the in vitro effects of different citric acid application techniques on naturally preserved dentin slabs. Materials and Methods: Thirty-two dentinal slabs were prepared for experimentation, with one group undergoing various treatments and a control group left untreated. The citric acid solution, with a pH of 1.0, was meticulously prepared and used in four different application methods on the experimental group. The dentin slabs were prepared for SEM evaluation, which assessed parameters such as exposed dentinal tubules, the surface area occupied by tubule orifices, the demineralised zone’s width and the exposed tubules’ morphological characteristics. Results: The data present the mean number of exposed dentinal tubules for different application techniques and the width of the demineralised zone. While the f-test did not show significant differences in the width of the demineralised zone, the number of exposed dentinal tubules varied significantly. Immersion treatment resulted in the highest number of open tubules, followed by cotton pellet placement and brushing. Conclusions: The study suggests that in periodontal regenerative procedures, passive citric acid application may be more effective than vigorous methods like burnishing for exposing inter-tubular fibrils and dentinal openings.