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Published on: January 12, 2017
Pulpal Responses to Direct Capping with Betamethasone/Gentamicin Cream and Mineral Trioxide Aggregate: Histologic and
Emad AlShwaimi1, Abdul Majeed1, Aiman A Ali2
1Endodontic Division, Restorative Dental Sciences Department, College of Dentistry, University of Dammam, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
Introduction:
This clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the response of human dental pulp to direct capping with betamethasone/gentamicin (BG) cream and mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA). We hypothesized that the results of direct pulp capping with a topical BG combination would be similar to or better than those with MTA.
Methods:
Thirty-six human first premolar teeth scheduled for orthodontic extraction were randomly divided into 4 groups: BG1 group (n = 9), BG cream with 2-week follow-up; BG2 group (n = 10), BG cream with 8-week follow-up; MTA1 group (n = 8), MTA with 2-week follow-up; and MTA2 group (n = 9), MTA with 8-week follow-up. Teeth were extracted and evaluated at respective time intervals. Micro-computed tomography scanning and histologic analyses were performed for all specimens. Pulp pathology (inflammation, pulp abscesses, and pulp necrosis) and reparative reaction (formation of dentin bridges) were recorded.
Results:
Both BG cream and MTA resulted in significantly better pulpal responses at 8 weeks than at 2 weeks. Dentin bridge formation was significantly thicker in the MTA group at 8 weeks than in any other group (P < .05). Inflammation was of the acute type in all groups; no statistically significant differences in the distribution of inflammatory cells were found among the groups. Pulpal abscesses and/or necrosis were observed more often in teeth capped with BG than with MTA.
Conclusions:
Direct pulp capping with both BG cream and MTA was associated with dentin bridge formation. MTA resulted in a significantly better pulpal response, with less inflammation and a thicker dentin bridge at 8 weeks.
