Journal of the American Dental Association, Vol 94, Issue 4, 701-704
Copyright © 1977 by American Dental Association
Effect of cobalt-60 radiation on the pulp of restored teeth
GE Nickens,
SS Patterson,
AH El-Kafrawy,
and
NB Hornback
The effect of cobalt-60 teletherapy on the pulps of restored teeth of monkeys was studied. Gold crowns and amalgam and composite resin restorations were placed in 28 teeth of two Macaca speciosa monkeys. One monkey then received cobalt-60 radiation to both maxillary and mandibular teeth and bones, with a total dose of 7,600 rads. Decalcified semiserial paraffin sections, 7 mum thick, of the teeth and supporting tissues were prepared and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Microscopically, there was no discernible difference between the irradiated and the non-irradiated pulps.