Journal of Dental Research, Vol 66, 1166-1174, Copyright © 1987 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals
Hard tissue barrier formation in pulpotomized monkey teeth capped with cyanoacrylate or calcium hydroxide for 10 and 60 minutes
M. Cvek, L. Granath, P. Cleaton-Jones and J. Austin
Monkey incisor teeth were pulpotomized in groups of 10. After physiological
hemostasis, the pulps of group I were covered with isobutyl cyanoacrylate,
and those of groups II and III with calcium hydroxide for 10 and 60
minutes, respectively, whereafter this compound was washed away and the
wound surfaces covered with Teflon. In group IV, calcium hydroxide was used
as a positive control, and Teflon as a negative control in group V. The
animals were killed after 12 weeks and the teeth removed in tissue blocks.
The material was processed and evaluated histologically with respect to
location and continuity of a hard tissue barrier, type of newly formed hard
tissue, state of the pulp, and presence of stainable bacteria in the
coronal cavity. Seven of nine teeth in group I showed a hard tissue
barrier. The corresponding figure for group II was eight out of 10 teeth.
All teeth in groups III and IV had a barrier. The incidence of a continuous
barrier increased from group I through group IV, as did the incidence of
its location below the level of the original wound surface. The condition
of the pulp was related to the presence of bacteria and the continuity of
the barrier to the presence of inflammation. There was no bridging in group
V. The results support the theory that a low-grade irritation is
responsible for the formation of a hard tissue barrier in exposed pulps.
