Emergency pulpotomy in relieving acute dental pain among Tanzanian patients

BACKGROUND: In Tanzania, oral health services are mostly in the form of dental extractions aimed at alleviating acute dental pain. Conservative methods of alleviating acute dental pain are virtually non-existent. Therefore, it was the aim of this study to determine treatment success of emergency pulpotomy in relieving acute dental pain. METHODS: Setting: School of Dentistry, Muhimbili National Hospital, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Study design: Longitudinal study. Participants: 180 patients who presented with dental pain due to acute irreversible pulpitis during the study period between July and August 2001. Treatment and evaluation: Patients were treated by emergency pulpotomy on permanent posterior teeth and were evaluated for pain after one, three and six week's post-treatment. Pain, if present, was categorised as either mild or acute. RESULTS: Of the patients with treated premolars, 25 (13.9%) patients did not experience pain at all while 19 (10.6%) experienced mild pain. None of the patients with treated premolars experienced acute pain. Among 136 patients with treated molars 56 (31%) did not experience any pain, 76 (42.2%) experienced mild pain and the other 4 (2.2%) suffered acute pain. CONCLUSION: The short term treatment success of emergency pulpotomy was high being 100% for premolars and 97.1% for molars, suggesting that it can be recommended as a measure to alleviate acute dental pain while other conservative treatment options are being considered

Survival of Enterococcus faecalis in root canals ex vivo

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72532/1/j.1365-2591.2005.01009.x.pd

In vitro analysis of the cytotoxicity and the antimicrobial effect of four endodontic sealers

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>The aim of this study was to investigate <it>in vitro </it>the cytotoxicity and antibacterial properties of four different endodontic sealers using human periodontal ligament fibroblast cell proliferation and visual analysis of growth inhibition.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A silicone (GuttaFlow), silicate (EndoSequence BC), zinc oxide eugenol (Pulp Canal Sealer EWT) and epoxy resin (AH Plus Jet) based sealer were incubated with PDL fibroblasts (10⁴cells/ml, n = 6) up to 96 h. Cell proliferation (RFU) was determined by means of the Alamar Blue assay. Cell growth and morphology was visualized by means of fluorescent dyes. Possible antibacterial properties of the different sealers were visualized by means of SEM (<it>Enterococcus faecalis; Parvimonas micra</it>).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Fibroblast proliferation depended on sealer and cultivation time. After 72 and 96 h GuttaFlow and EndoSequence BC showed relatively non-cytotoxic reactions, while Pulp Canal Sealer EWT and AH Plus Jet caused a significant decrease of cell proliferation (p < 0.001). Visualization of cell growth and morphology with various fluorescent dyes supplemented the results. No antibacterial effect of EndoSequence BC to <it>P. micra </it>was found, whereas GuttaFlow showed a weak, Pulp Canal Sealer EWT and AH Plus Jet extensive growth inhibition. Also, no antibacterial effect of GuttaFlow, EndoSequence BC or AH Plus Jet to <it>E. faecalis </it>could be detected.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These <it>in vitro </it>findings reveal that GuttaFlow and EndoSequence BC can be considered as biocompatible sealing materials. However, prior to their clinical employment, studies regarding their sealing properties also need to be considered.</p

Short-Term Analysis of Human Dental Pulps After Direct Capping with Portland Cement

This study evaluated the short-term response of human pulp tissue when directly capped with Portland cement. In this series of cases, twenty human third molars that were scheduled for extraction were used. After cavity preparation, pulp exposure was achieved and Portland cement pulp capping was performed. Teeth were extracted after 1, 7, 14 and 21 days following treatment and prepared for histological examination and bacterial detection. Each group had 5 teeth. The results were descriptively analysed. Dentin bridge formation was seen in two teeth with some distance from the material interface (14 and 21 days). Soft inflammatory responses were observed in most of the cases. Bacteria were not disclosed in any specimen. PC exhibited some features of biocompatibility and capability of inducing mineral pulp response in short-term evaluation. The results suggested that PC has a potential to be used as a less expensive pulp capping material in comparison to other pulp capping materials