Dental Pulp

In case of severe dental erosion, the maxillary anterior teeth are often particularly affected. Restoring such teeth conventionally (ie, crowns) would frequently involve elective endodontic therapy and major additional loss of tooth structure. A novel, minimally invasive approach to restore eroded teeth has been developed and is currently being tested in the form of a prospective clinical trial, termed The Geneva Erosion Study. To avoid crowns, two separate veneers with different paths of insertion have been used to restore the affected anterior maxillary teeth, regardless of clinical crown length and amount of remaining enamel. This treatment is called The Sandwich Approach. The purpose of this case series study was to analyze the mid-term clinical outcome of maxillary anterior teeth affected by severe dental erosion that were restored following the Sandwich Approach. Twelve consecutively consulting patients (mean age: 39.4 years) suffering from advanced dental erosion have been en...

Mast cells are mobile granule-containing secretory cells that are distributed preferentially about the microvascular endothelium in oral mucosa and dental pulp. The enzyme profile of mast cells in oral tissues resembles that of skin, with most mast cells expressing the serine proteases tryptase and chymase. Mast cells in oral tissues contain the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumour necrosis factor-α in their granules, and release of this promotes leukocyte infiltration during evolving inflammation in several conditions, including lichen planus, gingivitis, pulpitis, and periapical inflammation, through induction of endothelial-leukocyte adhesion molecules. Mast cell synthesis and release of other mediators exerts potent immunoregulatory effects on other cell types, while several T-lymphocyte-derived cytokines influence mast cell migration and mediator release. Mast cell proteases may contribute to alterations in basement membranes in inflammation in the oral cavity, such as the disrupti...

atteinte pulpaire apres traumatisme dentaire est frequente. L'evolution de la pulpe apres ce traumatisme est variable. La pulpe peut soit cicatriser soit se necroser et entrainer des complications peri-apicales. La necrose pulpaire doit etre diagnostiquee le plus precocement possible afin de prevenir les complications pouvant survenir au niveau de la region apicale. Cet article propose de revoir les criteres cliniques permettant le diagnostic de la necrose apres traumatisme dentaire.

Closed root canals likely have an oxygen-free environment; most bacteria in canals are anaerobic. These bacteria and other debris are difficult to remove. Unknown is tissue dissolution with chemicals under these anaerobic conditions. This study evaluated and compared dissolving properties of calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) and sodium hypochlorite (NaOCI) on bovine pulp tissue in aerobic and anaerobic environments. Sixty bovine pulp specimens were dried, then randomly divided into six groups. Groups A and B were immersed in Ca(OH)2 + water solution, whereas group C and D were in 2.5% NaOCI. Groups E and F (controls) specimens were placed in distilled water. Groups A, C, and E were incubated anaerobically, and groups B, D, and F were incubated under regular atmospheric conditions, all for 7 days. Percentages of weight loss were compared between groups. Results showed the following: (a) both chemicals partially dissolved pulp tissue, (b) anaerobic environment did not alter tissue-dissolving properties of Ca(OH)2 or NaOCI, and (c) Ca(OH)2 and NaOCI were equal and more effective than water.

Condensing osteitis is pathologic growth of the maxillomandibular bones, characterized by mild clinical symptoms. Bone thickening reflects impaired bone rearrangement in response to the mild infection of dental pulp. This case report describes a patient with extreme bone thickening localized in the left maxilla causing facial asymmetry. Clinical and radiological examination failed to point to definitive diagnosis. On differential diagnosis, all bone tissue tumors, cementoma and condensing osteitis with prolonged unsuccessful conservative endodontic treatment of the upper first molar, were considered. A surgical procedure in local anesthesia was preformed in order to remove the pathologically altered bone mass and to extract the tooth that could not have been treated successfully. Histopathologic analysis confirmed the inflammatory etiology of the bone lesion. Clinical and radiological follow-up indicated complete healing of the area, with appropriate density and trabeculation of the...

The purpose of this study was to compare pulpal and periapical tissue reactions to electrosurgery versus formocresol pulpotomy techniques in the primary teeth of dogs. The study was conducted on 33 primary teeth of three mongrel dogs between the ages of one to three months. Each dog had three teeth treated by Formocresol Pulpotomy with Mechanical Coronal Pulp Removal (FC), three teeth treated by Electrosurgery Pulpotomy with Mechanical Coronal Pulp Removal (ES/MCPR), three teeth treated by Electrosurgery Pulpotomy with Electrosurgical Coronal Pulp Removal (ES/ECPR), and two teeth serving as untreated Controls. Dogs one, two and three were sacrificed performing the pulpotomies at two, four and six weeks, respectively. The pulp, periapical tissue and after surrounding bone were submitted to histological examination and the histological reaction was recorded. The results were fourteen out of 18 unfavorable and zero out of three favorable histological reactions occurred in the FC treate...

Forensic Odontology, the branch of dentistry that is centered on dental or oro-facial findings has become an essential component of forensic science over the years. The identification of dental remains is of prime significance when the deceased individual is skeletonized, decomposed, burned, or eviscerated. Pulp plays an important role in forensic odontology as pulpal tissue can be used to determine age, sex and blood group antigen by molecular analysis. The present article discusses the uniqueness of pulp and how it can be used as an aid for determination of certain traits when no other remains are available.

PURPOSE This study evaluated in vivo 2 different obturation techniques (lentulo spiral mounted in a slow-speed handpiece and hand-held) in primary teeth. METHODS The study was carried out on 24 children (mean age = 6.71 years) who had received 50 single-visit zinc oxide and eugenol (ZOE) pulpectomies in primary molars. The root canal filling materials were deposited into the canals either by a lentulo spiral mounted in a slow-speed handpiece or by a hand-held lentulo spiral. Evaluation of pulpectomized molars was performed by both authors immediately and 6 months following treatment using specific clinical and radiographic criteria. In cases of disagreement, the lower rank was selected. RESULTS The study found 64% (16/25) optimal filling (if 1 or more of the canals having ZOE ended at the radiographic apex or up to 2 mm short of the apex) when the lentulo spiral mounted in the slow-speed handpiece was used. It also found a 96% (21/22) clinical success rate in the group obturated by ...