Regressive changes of the dental pulp complex in retained primary molars with congenitally missing successor teeth.

This study was undertaken to investigate the regressive changes occurring in the dental pulp complex (pulp, dentin, and cementum) of retained mandibular primary second molars with congenitally missing bicuspid teeth. Seventeen retained, caries free, primary molars were used. The specimens were fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin. Fixed samples were decalcified, routinely prepared, embedded in paraffin, sectioned, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. The results demonstrated a reduction in the pulp size, abnormal odontoblastic pattern, declined vascularity, pulp degeneration, pulp stones, accelerated formation of secondary dentin, and hypercementosis. This study suggests that these findings may be from aging and physiological defensive changes. These normal, age-induced changes are of considerable importance in the fields of endodontics, orthodontics, and pediatric dentistry.