An experimental study on the effect of betatron electron rays irradiation on the developing permanent tooth and its surrounding tissues of the young dog

A dose of 4 MeV, Betatron electronic rays, 600 rad and 1200 rad were applied to the 3rd primary molar and the 4th permanent premolar germ, respectively in the right mandibles of 58 young (3 mo.) dogs. In both irradiated groups disturbance of enamel formation was observed on and after the 21st day after irradiation. After the 21st day pulp cells around the cervical end of the dentin were arranged radially, meeting at right angles with collagenous fibers developing within immature pulp tissue. In the 1200 rad group, destruction of Hertwig's epithelial sheath was observed on the 14th day, and on the 30th day the sheath disappeared. About that time, osteoblast-like cells different from odontoblast appeared, and osteodentin began to form. In the 600 rad group, little trouble in dentin and pulp tissues was observed, and only hypoplasia of the enamel was noticed. These observation suggested that the radiosensitivity of the ameloblasts derived from the ectoderm was higher than the other. In the 1200 rad dose group, enamel hypoplasia, osteodentin formation, reticular atrophy of pulp and shortening of tooth root were found. These findings were not so different from results of predecessors in experiments with over 1000 R. In both the 600 and 1200 rad dose groups growth of the permanent tooth showed remarkably delay and severe crowding within the mendible. In the primary tooth, there was slight pulp congestion and a decreased number of pulp cells. In the 600 rad dose group, the mandible was unaffected, but in the 1200 rad group there was congestion of bone marrow, fibrous degeneration of bone tissue and so on. (Evans, J.)