Histologic observation of a human immature permanent tooth with irreversible pulpitis after revascularization/regeneration procedure.

INTRODUCTION: Histological studies of immature human permanent necrotic teeth with or without apical periodontitis after revascularization have not been reported. This case report describes the histological findings of tissue formed in the canal space of an immature permanent tooth #9 with irreversible pulpitis without apical periodontitis after revascularization.

METHODS: An immature human permanent tooth #9 was fractured 3.5 weeks after revascularization and could not be retained. The tooth was extracted and prepared for routine histological and immunohistochemical evaluation in order to examine the nature of tissue formed in the root canal following the revascularization procedure.

RESULTS: At 3.5 weeks after revascularization, more than one half of the canal was filled with loose connective tissue similar to the pulp tissue. A layer of flattened odontoblast-like cells lined along the predentin. Layers of epithelial-like cells, similar to the Hertwig's epithelial root sheath, surrounded the root apex. No hard tissue was formed in the canal.

CONCLUSIONS: Based on the histological findings in the present case, regeneration of pulp-like tissue is possible after revascularization. In this case, both the apical papilla and the Hertwig's epithelial root sheath survived in an immature permanent tooth despite irreversible pulpitis but without apical periodontitis.