This study was performed to verify the possibility of MTA and calcium sulfate as a pulp capping agent through comparing the dental pulp response in dogs after capping with MTA, calcium sulfate, and calcium hydroxide.

24 teeth of 2 dogs, 8 month old, were used in this study.

Under general anesthesia, cervical cavities were prepared and pulp was exposed with sterilized #2 round bur in a high speed handpiece.

MTA, calcium hydroxide, and calcium sulfate were applied on the exposed pulp. Then the coronal openings were sealed with IRM and light-cured composite.

Two months after treatment, the animals were sacrificed. The extracted teeth were fixed in 10% neutral-buffered formalin solution and were decalcified in formic acid-sodium citrate. They were prepared for histological examination in the usual manner. The sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin.

In MTA group, a hard tissue bridges formation and newly formed odontoblasts layer was observed. There was no sign of pulp inflammatory reaction in pulp tissue.

In calcium hydroxide group, there was no odontoblast layer below the dentin bridge. In pulpal tissue, chronic inflammatory reaction with variable intensity and extension occurred in all samples.

In calcium sulfate group, newly formed odontoblast layer was observed below the bridge. Mild chronic inflammation with a few neutrophil infiltrations was observed on pulp tissue.

These results suggest that MTA is more biocompatible on pulp tissue than calcium hydroxide or calcium sulfate.