Although some investigators imply that, pulp-capping procedures have no place in geriatric dentistry, a case is described in which a 61.year-old patient responded successfully to pulp-capping therapy with bridging of the exposure. Nine years later the patient presented a calcium-hydroxide-stimulated bridge that was still functioning to protect a vital pulp which, for the most part, was uninflam...

Scientific advances in the creation of restorative biomaterials, in vitro cell culture technology, tissue grafting, tissue engineering, molecular biology and the human genome project provide the basis for the introduction of new technologies into dentistry. Non-vital infected teeth have long been treated with root canal therapy (for mature root apex) and apexification (for immature root apex), ...

PURPOSE This manuscript presents evidence-based guidance on the use of vital pulp therapies for treatment of deep caries lesions in children. A guideline panel convened by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry formulated evidence-based recommendations on three vital pulp therapies: indirect pulp treatment (IPT; also known as indirect pulp cap), direct pulp cap (DPC), and pulpotomy. METH...

OBJECTIVE In this article, the authors report on an in vivo study in which they assessed the validity of two commonly used cold pulp tests (carbon dioxide [CO(2)]and 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane) and an electrical pulp tester (EPT) in determining pulp vitality by using direct inspection of the pulp as the reference standard. METHODS One hundred fifty patients undergoing endodontic therapy at the...

INTRODUCTION A number of vital pulp therapy techniques have been recommended to preserve pulp vitality in teeth with complicated crown fractures, especially in young patients. Calcium hydroxide has been the gold standard as a pulp capping material, but recently mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) has been recommended. This case report describes the treatment of tooth discoloration caused by white ...

Molecular biology is providing opportunities to develop new strategies or agents for the treatment of a wide variety of diseases. The availability of large amounts of highly purified proteins produced by recombinant DNA techniques is an obvious example. Recent evidence has implicated proteins belonging to the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) subgroup of the transforming growth factor beta super...

AIM Direct pulp capping is the treatment of an exposed vital pulp with a dental material to facilitate the formation of reparative dentin and maintenance of vital pulp. A bioengineered drug delivery vehicle has the potential to increase the success rate of pulp capping. The aim of this study was to develop an injectable and light-curing drug delivery vehicle for endodontic treatment including d...

Caries, pulpitis, and apical periodontitis increase health care costs and attendant loss of economic productivity. They ultimately result in premature tooth loss and therefore diminishing the quality of life. Advances in vital pulp therapy with pulp stem/progenitor cells might give impetus to regenerate dentin-pulp complex without the removal of the whole pulp. Tissue engineering is the science...