What are decalcifying agents?
Decalcifying agents are acidic substances that combine with lime in bone salts, teeth, chitin, etc., forming water-soluble compounds that easily can be removed.
What is the best decalcifying agent?
Formic acid
Decalcified teeth were evaluated histologically for tissue preservation and staining characteristics. Formic acid with gentle agitation produced the best decalcification overall based on time required for decalcification, ease of sectioning, hard and soft tissue staining and tissue preservation.
What are the methods of decalcification?
Electrolytic Method – Formic acid or HCl are used as electrolytic medium. The calcium ions move towards the cathode. Rapid decalcification is achieved but heat produced may damage the cytological details. Chelating Agents – Organic chelating agents absorb metallic ions.
What is decalcifying solution?
Notable descaling agents include acetic acid, citric acid, glycolic acid, formic acid, lactic acid, phosphoric acid, sulfamic acid and hydrochloric acid. Typically about a 10% concentration of hydrochloric acid with a corrosion inhibitor and some added penetrating and wetting agents added.
What causes decalcification?
Decalcification occurs when calcium and phosphorous minerals are removed from the tooth surface. These minerals are a normal part of your tooth’s composition but can be depleted or lost due to plaque accumulation.
How do you prepare a decalcification solution?
Combine equal parts of the 8% hydrochloric acid solution and the 8% formic acid solution before use. Procedure: Specimens should be decalcified in hydrochloric acid/formic acid working solution 20 times their volume. Change to fresh solution each day until decalcification is complete.
How do you speed up decalcification?
Heat is also known to accelerate decalcification as it increases the rate of diffusion and increases the rate of chemical reaction [1,2,9]. In their study, Verdenius and Alma also observed that the time required for decalcification reduced as temperature was increased from 13oC to 25oC to 40oC [9].
What happens during decalcification?
Bone decalcification is the softening of bones due to the removal of calcium ions, and can be performed as a histological technique to study bones and extract DNA. This process also occurs naturally during bone development and growth, and when uninhibited, can cause diseases such as osteomalacia.
Why is decalcification done?
Decalcification is the process of removing calcium from tissues. Calcified tissue must be decalcified before processing or the tissue cannot be sectioned. Remove excess tissue from around the bone if the tissue is not needed. This will allow for better penetration of decalcifying solution into the tissue.
Can you fix decalcification?
Can decalcification be treated? There is no magic cure-all but the body’s natural resources will help the tooth to recover from decalcification as saliva acts to re-mineralise the tooth following the removal of plaque. This will still leave marks on the tooth but will help to protect the outer layer.
Can you reverse tooth decalcification?
Can You Reverse the Problem? Decalcification is treatable. Once reversed, you will be able to continue with your orthodontic treatment.
What is the treatment of bone following decalcification?
The most frequently used chelating agent is Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). Decalcification is a lengthy procedure, as bone pieces have to be left in the decalcifying agent for days to weeks, depending on the size of the bone.
What kind of agents are used to decalcify teeth?
Materials and Methods: Six decalcifying agents namely, neutral ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) decalcifying solution, 5% nitric acid, Perenyi’s fluid, formalin–nitric acid, 5% trichloracetic acid, and 10% formic acid were used to decalcify 24 natural teeth (four in each solution).
Which is the best acid to use for decalcification?
Decalcifying agents – Strong acids Strong acids such as hydrochloric or nitric acid at concentrations up to 10% are the most rapid in action, but if used for an excessive time, will rapidly cause a loss of nuclear staining and can macerate tissues.
What are the different types of decalcifying agents?
There are three main types of decalcifying agents: Those composed of chelating agents. For convenience, most laboratories choose from the many proprietary reagents available. Potential users of these products should consult the relevant MSDS to determine the active component present if it is not clearly stated in the technical information provided.
When to use decalcification agents in tissue processing?
In routine histopathology, decalcification of bone and teeth is often an essential and important step during tissue processing. Various decalcifying agents have been used in the past.
