The purpose of this study was to compare the biocompatibility of two types of calcium hydroxide paste in subcutaneous tissue in rat. Twenty-two Wistar rats were divided into 4 experimental (n=5 each) and one control (n=2) group. A polyethylene tube filled with either Dentsply or Sure-Paste was implanted in each rat in the experimental groups, while an empty polyethylene tube was used in the control group. After 15 or 60 days, the animals were sacrificed and histopathological examination carried out. Tissue reaction was assessed by inflammatory cell infiltration using a 4-point scoring system, ranging from 0 to 3. Data were analyzed with the Kruskal-Wallis, Wilcoxon, and McNemar tests. Both types of paste induced an inflammatory response at each time point, although the intensity varied. A significant reduction in the number of inflammatory cells was observed at 60 days. Dentsply appeared to induce a more marked inflammatory response at both time points, although the difference was not significant. These results suggest that both types of paste are biocompatible with subcutaneous tissue in rat.