Teeth processing in human teeth bank – proposal of protocol

Resumo

Dentistry courses conduct preclinical laboratory
trainings and research using extracted human teeth. For a safe
usage of those teeth, it is necessary to subject them to cleaning,
disinfection and/or sterilization and proper storage to ensure they
are free of biological residues. Each of these steps should be properly
described in standard operating procedures (SOPs) and in the
processing protocol of the Human Tooth Bank (HTB). Objective:
To create a processing protocol for Human Tooth Bank based on
a literature review on cleaning, disinfection and/or sterilization and
storage methods for extracted human teeth. Literature review: The
hand hygiene and use of personal protective equipment are essential
at all stages of processing. The previous cleaning of the tooth is
essential, preferably with enzymatic detergent, and complemented by
ultrasonic washing machine. The water quality should be considered
in cleaning, washing, dilution of the enzymatic detergent and in the
ultrasonic washing machine. Due to the prohibition of immersion
use of chemical solution as sterilizing agents, saturated steam under
pressure is widely used. Freezing is the recommended storage method
because neither it alters dental structures nor affects research results. All this information should be consider for the elaboration
of the processing protocol for extracted human teeth. Each action
taken requires a detailed description and must be validated by the
institution. Conclusion: The adoption of a protocol with SOPs for
cleaning, disinfecting and/or sterilization and storage of human
teeth in HTB standardize the processing and minimize exposure to
biological agents, enabling the use of the tooth under appropriate
conditions for research and laboratory preclinical training.