Frequency and distribution of pulpal calcifications in teeth involved in jaw tumors

Abstract

Pulp calcifications are idiopathic mineralized masses associated with irritation, age, trauma, and systemic or genetic diseases. The objective of this work was to examine frequency and distribution of pulp calcifications in teeth involved in jaw tumors, analyzing their relationship with age, sex, location, size, and diagnosis of the lesion in a sample of 21 teeth associated with tumors of the jaws. Imaging analysis included CT scans, periapical X-rays, and orthopantomography of the clinical record; histological analysis included pulp tissue fixed in 10% buffered formalin for 24 h, with hematoxylin and eosin staining, and examined under light microscope. A chi-square test was applied to associate calcifications with all variables. The tumor lesions were from patients aged 17–66 years. Calcifications were observed in 38.1% of cases on image and histologically in 76.2%; 56% were nodular and 68.8% were distributed in chamber and root canal. The male sex presented a higher frequency of pulp calcifications, estimating a statistically significant difference with respect to women (p = 0.004); there was no statistical significance with the other variables. In conclusion, the pulp tissue of teeth affected by maxillary tumors presents a percentage of pulp calcifications similar to the tissue where the periradicular tissue is intact.