The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pulp tissue reaction to direct pulp capping of mechanically exposed beagle dogs'pulp with several capping materials. A total of 36 teeth of 2 healthy beagle dongs were used. The mechanically exposed pulps were capped with one of the followings: (1) Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA: ProRoot® MTA, Dentsply, Tulsa, USA), (2) Clearfil SE Bond (Dentin adhesive system: Kuraray, Osaka, Japan), (3) Ultra-Blend (Photo-polymerized Calcium hydroxide: Ultradent, South Jordan, USA), (4) Dycal (Quick setting Calcium hydroxide: LD Caulk Co., Milford, USA) at 7, 30, and 90 days before sacrificing. The cavities were restored with Z350 flowable composite resin (3M ESPE, St. Paul. MN, USA). After the beagle dogs were sacrificed, the extracted teeth were fixed, decalcified, prepared for histological examination and stained with HE stain. The pulpal tissue responses to direct pulp capping materials were assessed.

In MTA, calcium hydroxide, and photo-polymerized calcium hydroxide groups, initial mild inflammatory cell infiltration, newly formed odontoblast-like cell layer and hard tissue bridge formation were observed. Compared with dentin adhesive system, these materials were biocompatible and good for pulp tissue regeneration.

In dentin adhesive system group, severe inflammatory cell infiltration, pulp tissue degeneration and pulp tissue necrosis were observed. It seemed evident that application of dentin adhesive system in direct pulp capping of beagle dog teeth cannot lead to acceptable repair of the pulp tissue with dentine bridge formation.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the pulpal response to direct pulp capping with dentin sialo-protein (DSP) -derived synthetic peptide in teeth of dogs, and to compare its efficacy to capping substances Ca(OH)₂ and white mineral trioxide aggregate (WMTA). A total of 72 teeth of 6 healthy male beagle dogs were used. The mechanically exposed pulps were capped with one of the following: (1) DSP-derived synthetic peptide (PEP group); (2) Ca(OH)₂ (CH group); (3) a mixture paste of peptide and Ca(OH)₂ (PEP+CH group); or (4) white MTA (WMTA group). The access cavity was restored with a reinforced glass ionomer cement. Two dogs were sacrificed at each pre-determined intervals (2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months). After the specimens were prepared for standard histological processing, sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Under a light microscope, inflammatory response and hard tissue formation were evaluated in a blind manner by 2 observers. In the PEP group, only 3 of 17 specimens showed hard tissue formation, indication that the DSP-derived synthetic peptide did not induce proper healing of the pulp. Compared with the CH group, the PEP group demonstrated an increased inflammatory response and poor hard tissue formation. The CH and WMTA groups showed similar results for direct pulp capping in mechanically exposed teeth of dogs.