Direct pulp capping with mineral trioxide aggregate: an immunohistologic comparison with calcium hydroxide in rodents.
BACKGROUND
The aim was to evaluate the proliferation of pulp cells 1, 3, and 7 days after direct pulp capping with ProRoot MTA (MTA) and to compare the results with calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)(2)).


METHODS
An occlusal cavity was prepared in 36 molar teeth of 18 Wistar rats. Then MTA or Ca(OH)(2) was placed on the exposed pulp. All cavities were restored with composite. After 1, 3, and 7 days the animals were killed. One hour before scarification 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) was injected into the intraperitoneal cavity for immunohistologic analysis. BrdU was incorporated into the cell nucleus during the S phase of the cell cycle. Proliferating cells were tagged and counted by using alkaline phosphatase and anti-alkaline phosphatase antibody staining. Three animals (6 molar teeth) served as controls and were not further treated. The number of the tagged cells was statistically analyzed by comparing the results of the 3 groups. A Bonferroni correction was performed, because the data of the Ca(OH)(2)- group was used 3 times for pairwise comparison.


RESULTS
The marked cells were identified as fibroblasts, endothelial cells (after 1, 3, and 7 days), and Höhl cells (after 7 days). The MTA group showed a similar amount of Höhl cells when compared with the Ca(OH)(2) group (P > .05). One day and 7 days after capping, no significant differences were observed between the 2 tested groups and the controls (P > .05). After 3 days, significantly more cells were stained in the MTA and Ca(OH)(2) groups than in the control group (P < .016).


CONCLUSIONS
Immunohistologic analysis demonstrated that MTA showed similar results when compared with Ca(OH)(2) within the first week after direct pulp capping.
Dammaschke
Till
T
Department of Operative Dentistry, Westphalian Wilhelms-University, Münster, Germany. tillda@uni-muenster.de
Stratmann
Udo
U
Wolff
Philipp
P
Sagheri
Darius
D
Schäfer
Edgar
E
D017607:Aluminum Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000378:metabolism; D017610:Calcium Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002126:Calcium Hydroxide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003785:Dental Pulp Capping / Q000379:methods*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008940:Mitotic Index; D010087:Oxides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017640:Silicates / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D017607:Aluminum Compounds; D017610:Calcium Compounds; D004338:Drug Combinations; D010087:Oxides; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials; D017640:Silicates; C086631:mineral trioxide aggregate; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D002126:Calcium Hydroxide