Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate indirect pulp capping on deep carious lesions on vital human permanent teeth clinically and hito-pathologically.
Ten cases of vital human permanent teeth with deep carious lesions were studied in this experiment. The teeth were treated with indirect pulp capping under local anesthesia using a calcium hydroxide capping agent (Dycal) in 6cases and zinc oxide euginol cement (Neodyne) in 4 cases, then sealed with amalgam. The teeth were observed clinically for about 12 weeks,7 cases were extracted for histological examination. Three cases were reopened and the softened dentin was excised, lined with the capping agent, then permanent restorations were placed. The teeth were observed clinically 30 to 72 days thereafter and extracted for observing the histological process. Two cases of slight clinical symptoms which had disappeared a few days after were observed clinically. Another 8 cases were entirely asymptomatic clinically. Histologically, slight round cell infiltrations were observed in 3 cases in the pulp, while 4 cases of reparative dentin formation were observed in the pulpal wall.
As the results of this experiment the following conclusions were obtained.
1. Out of a total 10 cases,9 cases (90%) were evaluated clinically as being successful and 1 case (10%) as being fairly successful.
2. Histologically,8 cases (80%) were evaluated as successful,2 cases (20%)as fairly successful.
3. The indirect pulp capping technique is considered to be a conservatative and effective theraphy for vital permanent teeth with deep carious lesions, without exposure of vital pulp, with a high success rate, clinically and histologically.
