Dentoalveolar trauma is a very common public health problem. Its influence goes beyond accidents and their impact on teeth, because in the future it becomes a decisive factor if orthodontic treatment is required, because these traumas tend to lead to complications such as root resorption and pulp necrosis. Proper treatment of teeth with a medical history of trauma is essential for successful orthodontic treatment.

Se ha reportado que con el uso de barreras mecánicas se evita la migración de tejido conectivo y epitelial dentro de los defectos óseos y se facilita la cicatrización de la lesión con tejido óseo.- El pericardio bovino se ha utilizado en difenrentes cirugías como material base para la elaboración de distintos tipos de prótesis cardiovasculares. Analizando sus características de biocompatibilidad, se empleó este material como barrera mecánica en cirugías apicales.- Este estudio presenta once casos clínicos, a cinco de los cuales se les realizó cirugía apical empleando el pericardio bovino como barrera mecánica y a los otros seis (control) sin barrera. A todos se les hicieron controles radiográficos antes, inmediatamente y cinco semanas, tres y seis meses después de la cirugía.- Las características del pericardio y la respuesta clínica y radiográfica observada en los pacientes sugieren que el material puede servir como una buena barrera mecánica para favorecer la cicatrización ósea en cirugías apicales. Pero se requiere un mayor tiempo de evaluación y un mayor número de casos para lograr resultados más concluyentes. ABSTRACT Mechanical barriers have been used in order to prevent migration of connective and epithelial tissues into bony defects. Bovíne pericardium has been used as a base material for the elaboratíon of different types of cardiovascular prosthesis in different types of surgeries. After analyzing its physico-chemical structure and biocompatibility, this material was used as a mechanical barrier in periapical surgeries. In this study, II cases are reported. Apical surgeries using bovine pericardium as a mechanical barrier were performed on five patients, while conventional surgeries without the use of the material were done on six patients which served as a control group. Radiographic evaluatíon was done in a11 cases preopera-tively and immediately, five weeks, three months and six months postoperatively.- Its physical characteristics and biocompatibility, as well as the clinical and radiographic responses observed in patients, suggest that the bovine peri-cardium can be an effective material when used as a mechanical barrier in order to promote bone healing after apical surgery. However, more long term evaluation and a greater number of cases are required in order to obtain more conclusive results.