title: A comparative study of dental pulp response to several pulpotomy agents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the in vivo response of dental pulps in dogs to three pulp-capping agents: calcium hydroxide (CH), mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and a new endodontic calcium enriched mixture (CEM) cement.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six second and third premolar teeth in six beagle dogs were randomly assigned to three experimental groups; CH, MTA or CEM cement. Following isolation and exposure, pulp tissues were removed with a fissure bur and haemostasis achieved. The pulps were dressed with appropriate materials, and the access cavity restored with amalgam. Histological analysis was performed 8 weeks after treatment; the samples were assessed by an independent observer for calcified bridge formation, pulp vitality and pulp inflammation. The data were analysed by Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney and one-way anova tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of root canals that showed calcified bridge formation, pulp vitality and lack of inflammation was significantly higher for teeth capped with either MTA or CEM cement in comparison with CH (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found between the CEM cement and MTA in terms of calcified bridge formation, pulp vitality and lack of inflammation (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mineral trioxide aggregate and CEM cement were associated with a similar favourable biological response to pulpotomy treatment and demonstrated a more effective induction of dentinal bridge formation compared to CH.
authors.affiliation: Endodontic Department, School of Dentistry, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tabarsi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parirokh
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Eghbal
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Haghdoost
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Torabzadeh
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asgary
mesh_terms: D017607:Aluminum Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D017610:Calcium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D002126:Calcium Hydroxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D003738:Dental Cements / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D003809:Dentin, Secondary / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D004285:Dogs; D004338:Drug Combinations; D008297:Male; D010087:Oxides / Q000494:pharmacology; D011672:Pulpotomy / Q000379:methods*; D011897:Random Allocation; D017640:Silicates / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D017607:Aluminum Compounds; D017610:Calcium Compounds; D003738:Dental Cements; D004338:Drug Combinations; D010087:Oxides; D017640:Silicates; C086631:mineral trioxide aggregate; C016538:lime; D002126:Calcium Hydroxide