Human pulpal response to mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA), bioactive glass and calcium hydroxide

Aim:The aim of this study was histological evaluation of the relative success of white mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA), bioactive glass (BAG), and calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) when used as pulp capping agents in human teeth. Materials and Methods:45 healthy premolars scheduled to be extracted for orthodontic reasons were divided into three groups of 15 teeth in each group. The exposed pulps were capped with MTA, Bioglass or Calcium hydroxide. At the end of two months the teeth were extracted and subjected to histological analysis. The sections were blindly evaluated by an experienced and calibrated pathologist. Results: Statistically significant differences were observed among the groups for histological evaluation. A clear superiority of MTA over the other two materials in terms of all the histological criteria evaluated was observed. Conclusions:MTA was observed to be superior to BAG and Ca(OH)2 in terms of histological analysis. Although results favour the use of MTA, more studies with larger samples and a longer follow-up are suggested.