Macroscopic in vitro analysis of titanium and fiberglass posts cemented in human premolars subjected to high temperatures for forensic purposes

Abstract

SUMMARY
Objective: To describe the macroscopic
changes of titanium and fiberglass posts
cemented in human premolars subjected
to high temperatures for forensic purposes.
Materials and methods: An in Vitro experimental
study was conducted to observe
the macroscopic physical changes of dental
tissues (enamel, dentine and cement), of
materials of conventional endodontic use
(gutta-percha Wave One® Maillefer Dentsply
®, endodontic cement with epoxic resin
Top Seal® Maillefer Dentsply®), posts
cement Relyx TM ARC 3M ESPE®) and
of the titanium posts (Tenax® Endodontic
Post System Coltene®) and fiberglass
posts (Tenax® Fiber Trans Coltene®) in
124 human teeth, exposed to five ranks of
temperature 200ºC, 400ºC, 600ºC, 800ºC,
1000ºC (three teeth at each temperature).
Results: The studied tissues and dental
materials used in this study, offer great
resistance to high temperatures, exhibiting
considerably variation of their macrostructure,
in a way that the physical changes
(dimensional stability, fissures, cracks,
fractures, texture, color, carbonization and
incineration) can serve to identify them and
to associate such changes to each rank of
specific temperature.
Conclusion: The titanium and fiberglass
posts cemented in human premolars offer
great resistance to the action of high tem-peratures. In the same way, they present
specific changes associated to the dental
tissues that can contribute with the process
of identification and medico-legal necropsy
of a corpse or burned, incinerated or carbonized
human rests.
Key words: Forensic dentistry, human
identification, dental tissues, dental materials,
endodontics, high temperatures.