A comparison of human dental pulp response to calcium hydroxide and Biodentine as direct pulp-capping agents

CONTEXT Direct pulp capping involves the placement of a biocompatible agent on pulp tissue that has been inadvertently exposed from traumatic injury or by iatrogenic means. AIM To compare the human pulp response to calcium hydroxide and Biodentine as direct pulp-capping agents. MATERIALS AND METHODS Pulp exposures were performed on the pulpal floor of forty human permanent premolars. The exposure sites were dressed with either Dycal or Biodentine as pulp-capping materials. After 45 days, teeth were extracted and processed for histological examination. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS The histological data were subjected to Wilcoxon rank-sum test. RESULTS The dentinal bridges in teeth that were capped with Biodentine were significantly thicker (P < 0.0001) and more continuous (P = 0.0001) with less pulpal inflammation (P = 0.0044) in comparison to Dycal. CONCLUSION Based on the result of this study, Biodentine can be suggested as the material of choice for direct pulp capping procedure instead of Dycal. However, further long-term follow-up in vivo human studies using Biodentine on cariously exposed pulpal teeth are warranted to derive a definite conclusion.