Non-Destructive In Vitro Evaluation of an Internal Adaptation of Recent Pulp-Capping Materials in Permanent Teeth...

Area of Science:

• Dental Materials Science
• Restorative Dentistry
• Biomaterials Engineering

Background:

• Pulp-capping materials are crucial for preserving dental pulp vitality.
• Assessing the internal adaptation of these materials to dentin is vital for restoration longevity.
• Micro-computed tomography (MCT) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) offer advanced imaging for evaluating material-dentin interfaces.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the internal adaptation of TheraCal, Biodentine, and mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) on permanent tooth dentin.
• To evaluate the efficacy of micro-computed tomography (MCT) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) in assessing adaptation.
• To determine the clinical potential of OCT for monitoring dental restorations.

Main Methods:

• Thirty permanent molars were prepared with class V cavities.
• Teeth were randomly assigned to receive TheraCal (Group A), Biodentine (Group B), or MTA (Group C) as pulp-capping agents.
• Micro-computed tomography (MCT) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were used to analyze gap volume and light reflection at the material-dentin interface.

Main Results:

• TheraCal exhibited significantly larger gap volumes compared to Biodentine and MTA (p < 0.001).
• Biodentine and MTA showed comparable, superior internal adaptation to dentin versus TheraCal.
• Optical coherence tomography (OCT) revealed higher light reflection for TheraCal, indicating poorer adaptation, while Biodentine and MTA showed distinct reflection patterns.

Conclusions:

• Biodentine and MTA demonstrate superior internal adaptation to dentin in permanent teeth compared to TheraCal.
• OCT is a promising tool for evaluating the integrity of pulp-capping material adaptation and could be valuable for clinical follow-up.
• Further development is needed to enhance OCT accessibility and applicability for widespread clinical use.