The hard tissues of each tooth (enamel, dentin and cementum), as well as the pulp tissue, need to be preserved in order to obtain a quality histological section that provides precise details of the microscopic dental anatomy. The choice of the fixative, the time of fixation, the decalcification technique ant the solutions used are important factors in order to obtain a preparation appropriate for diverse light microscopy analyses. Objectives: The objective of the present study was to identify the most adequate histological technique for recently extracted permanent teeth by varying the decalcification solutions. Methods: For this purpose, six third molars were fixed in 10% formalin for 7 days and then decalcified. Three of these teeth were decalcified in 4% nitric acid solution for 27 days. The other three teeth were decalcified in a solution containing equal parts of 20% sodium citrate and 30% formic acid for 42 days. The specimens were embedded in parafinn in the horizontal position, cut into 5 micrometers thick sections with a microtome, and stained with hematoxylin-eosin and Gomori's trichrome. The histological sections obtained were analyzed microscopically, selected and photomicrographed. Results: The histological technique using 20% sodium citrate and 30% formic acid as decalcification solution provided the best results. Conclusions: The histological technique using 20% sodium citrate and 30% formic preserved in a more satisfactory manner the crown-root tissues of the permanent teeth analyzed.