Association of physical properties and maintenance of sterility of primary teeth in human tooth bank

Background: This study was carried out to evaluate the sterility and structural integrity of stored primary teeth in artificial saliva over a storage period of 12 weeks (3 months) in human tooth bank (HTB). Materials and Methods: A total of 80 freshly extracted teeth were taken and were categorized into four groups of 20 each. The samples were stored at 4°C for 12 weeks (3 months) in the refrigerator. During their storage time of 3 months, they were repetitively evaluated for their sterility, enamel hardness, calcium and phosphate solubility and color stability at regular intervals of 3 weeks. Observations and Results: That teeth stored in artificial saliva maintained their sterility throughout the storage time of 12 weeks, but changes in their physical and chemical properties occurred with an increase in storage time. Conclusion: Storage time not more than 9 weeks is recommended for deciduous teeth to be stored in artificial saliva in a HTB.