AIM: To observe the effect of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) combined with fibronectin as pulp capping agents. METHODS: The 48 pulps of 4 cats were exposed mechanically and then capped directly with MTA, MTA combined with fibronectin, calcium hydroxide, fibronectin and starch as control. After 12 weeks observation, the experimental teeth were extracted and observed with scanning electronic microscope. RESULTS: In calcium hydroxide group and MTA group, specimens showed irregular dentin bridge structures along the pulp-MTA interface. In MTA combined with fibronectin group, continuous and complete dentin bridge structures were found along the pulp-MTA interface, the crystalline-like structures were in direct contact with the dentin wall of pulp chamber, the exposed pulp sites were closed by the dentin bridge. In fibronectin and starch group, no reparative dentin was observed. CONCLUSION: The present experiment indicated that MTA combined with fibronectin was an effective pulp-capping material and may have potential for clinical application. [

AIM: This study was aimed to assess the effect of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) combined with fibronectin on reparative dentinogenesis and odontoblast differentiation, investigate the possible mechanism underlying traumatized pulp repair, which would facilitate the choosing of ideal pulp capping agents. METHODS: 192 teeth from 16 adult cats were used. Class V cavties were prepared on the facial surface. The pulps of cats were exposed mechanically and then capped directly with MTA, MTA combined with fibronectin, calcium hydroxide, fibronectin and starch as control. The pulpal tissue reactions were assessed by light microscopy at healing interval of 1 and 4 weeks.RESULTS: 1 week after pulp capping, no reparative dentin formation was observed in each group. 4 weeks after pulp capping, the dental pulps capped with MTA/fibronectin showed no or slight cellular inflammatory responses and odontoblast differentiation with tublar dentin bridge on the exposed sites. In MTA group, the dental pulps showed slight to moderate cellular inflammatory responses with osteodentin formation. In calcium hydroxide group, the pulps showed moderate to severe inflammatory responses with calcified matrix. In fibronectin and starch group, no dentin bridge formation was observed, the pulps showed severe cellular inflammatory responses.CONCLUSION: (1) MTA combined with fibronectin induced to form complete and tublar dentin bridge. In MTA group, most of the formed dentin bridge was irregular and osteodentin. (2) MTA combined with fibronectin is a bioactive pulp-capping agent and has a great worth in vital pulp therapy.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the role of the combined periodontic-orthodontic treatment in the esthetic reconstruc- tion of the anterior teeth area following periodontitis.

METHODSThirteen adult patients with anterior teeth displacements were treated. The probing pocket depth (PD; 102 teeth, 612 sites), bleeding on probing (102 teeth, 204 sites), papilla index (PI; 128 papillae), and papillary height (PH; 128 papillae) of each patient were assessed at baseline, 3 months after the initial therapy, and the end of the orthodontic treatment. Non-parametric and paired-sample t tests were carried out for the statistical analysis of the data.

RESULTSThree months after initial therapy, the sites with PD ≤ 3 mm accounted for 79.58% (487/612) of the observed teeth, and 88.73% (181/204) of the buccal and lingual sites of the teeth showed negative bleeding on probing. These findings were better than those at baseline [26.31% (161/612) and 22.06% (45/204), respectively] (P < 0.05), but no sig- nificant difference was observed compared with pro-orthodontic treatment (P > 0.05). Prior to orthodontic treatment, the levels of the PI of 8 and 21 papillae were III and II, respectively, among the 128 observed papillae. After the orthodontic treatment, 51 papillae were at level III and 68 papillae were at level II. The PH of the 102 papillae was 2.84 mm ± 0.62 mm after ortho- dontic treatment. This result indicated significant difference compared with that of pre-orthodontic treatment (1.69 mm ± 0.57 mm) (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAfter initial therapy, moderate orthodontic teeth movements may reconstruct the interproximal soft tissue, with esthetic improvement of the papillary level and resolution of the periodontal defects.

Adult ; Dental Scaling ; Esthetics ; Humans ; Periodontal Pocket ; Periodontics ; Periodontitis ; Tooth Migration ; Tooth Movement Techniques