title: Retrospective study on direct pulp capping with calcium hydroxide.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the success rate of a calcium hydroxide-based direct capping agent in permanent teeth.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1,075 permanent teeth were treated in this study. All patients received direct pulp capping with a calcium hydroxide-based agent. Inclusion criteria were teeth with healthy pulps, pulps with signs of reversible pulpitis, and a pulp chamber roof opening smaller than 2 mm2. Pulps with severe degenerative processes or necrosis were excluded. After direct capping, all teeth were definitively restored with amalgam, composite, glass-ionomer cement, or other dental materials. The teeth were observed up to 9 years with a first visit after 3 months followed by an annual routine visit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The success rate of direct capping was 80.1% after 1 year, 68.0% after 5 years, and 58.7% after 9 years. Substantial differences were found regarding the number of tooth surfaces affected by the causal event (P = .0005). The subsequent definitive restorations also significantly influenced the survival rate (P = .0035).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Direct pulp capping with calcium hydroxide is a successful therapy when the respective indications and restorative materials are employed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Operative Dentistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany. willersh@uni-mainz.de
authors.forename: Brita
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Willershausen
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Willershausen
authors.forename: Armin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Velikonja
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kasaj
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blettner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002126:Calcium Hydroxide; D002648:Child; D003785:Dental Pulp Capping / Q000379:methods*; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D057872:Pulp Capping and Pulpectomy Agents; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D057872:Pulp Capping and Pulpectomy Agents; D002126:Calcium Hydroxide