The influence of haemostatic agents on healing of healthy human dental pulp tissue capped with calcium hydroxide.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the hypothesis that different haemostatic agents could impair the histological response of human pulps capped with calcium hydroxide.


METHODS
Forty-five third molars scheduled for extraction were selected. Class I cavities with pulp exposures were prepared. Three agents were used to control bleeding: 0.9% saline solution (control, n = 14), 5.25% sodium hypochlorite (n = 16) and 2% chlorhexidine digluconate (n = 15). The pulps were dressed with hard-setting calcium hydroxide cement. After 7, 30 or 90 days, teeth were extracted, formalin-fixed and prepared for histochemical techniques. The biological response was categorized using the following criteria: inflammatory response, soft tissue organization, reactionary dentine and reparative dentine. Data were submitted to statistical analysis, using nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance on ranks. Differences amongst groups were detected using Dunn's method.


RESULTS
The statistical analysis disclosed that whilst inflammatory response decreased over time, reactionary dentine deposition and reparative dentine formation increased in the latter periods of evaluation (P < 0.05). The three agents had similar performances for all criteria evaluated. The conventional pulp response to calcium hydroxide was observed over time, and complete pulp healing was observed in 88% of the specimens after 90 days.


CONCLUSIONS
The three haemostatic agents did not impair the healing process following pulp exposure and capping with calcium hydroxide at different time intervals investigated.
Department of Operative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil.
A F
AF
Silva
S B C
SB
Tarquinio
F F
FF
Demarco
E
E
Piva
E R C
ER
Rivero
D000328:Adult; D002126:Calcium Hydroxide; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000633:toxicity; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000187:drug effects*; D003785:Dental Pulp Capping; D003789:Dental Pulp Exposure / Q000628:therapy*; D003809:Dentin, Secondary / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006490:Hemostatics / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008964:Molar, Third; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000633:toxicity; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite / Q000633:toxicity*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects
D006490:Hemostatics; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite; C010882:chlorhexidine gluconate; D002126:Calcium Hydroxide; D002710:Chlorhexidine