Pulpotomy, which belongs to vital pulp therapy, has become a strategy for managing pulpitis in recent decades. This minimally invasive treatment reflects the recognition of preserving healthy dental pulp and optimizing long-term patient-centered outcomes. Pulpotomy is categorized into partial pulpotomy (PP), the removal of a partial segment of the coronal pulp tissue, and full pulpotomy (FP), the removal of whole coronal pulp, which is followed by applying the biomaterials onto the remaining pulp tissue and ultimately restoring the tooth. Procedural decisions for the amount of pulp tissue removal or retention depend on the diagnostic of pulp vitality, the overall treatment plan, the patient's general health status, and pulp inflammation reassessment during operation. This statement represents the consensus of an expert committee convened by the Society of Cariology and Endodontics, Chinese Stomatological Association. It addresses the current evidence to support the application of pulpotomy as a potential alternative to root canal treatment (RCT) on mature permanent teeth with pulpitis from a biological basis, the development of capping biomaterial, and the diagnostic considerations to evidence-based medicine. This expert statement intends to provide a clinical protocol of pulpotomy, which facilitates practitioners in choosing the optimal procedure and increasing their confidence in this rapidly evolving field.
Humans ; Calcium Compounds/therapeutic use* ; Consensus ; Dental Pulp ; Dentition, Permanent ; Oxides/therapeutic use* ; Pulpitis/therapy* ; Pulpotomy/standards*

Pulpitis is a common infective oral disease in clinical situations. The regulatory mechanisms of immune defense in pulpitis are still being investigated. Osteomodulin (OMD) is a small leucine-rich proteoglycan family member distributed in bones and teeth. It is a bioactive protein that promotes osteogenesis and suppresses the apoptosis of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs). In this study, the role of OMD in pulpitis and the OMD-induced regulatory mechanism were investigated. The OMD expression in normal and inflamed human pulp tissues was detected via immunofluorescence staining. Intriguingly, the OMD expression decreased in the inflammatory infiltration area of pulpitis specimens. The cellular experiments demonstrated that recombined human OMD could resist the detrimental effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation. A conditional Omd knockout mouse model with pulpal inflammation was established. LPS-induced inflammatory impairment significantly increased in conditional Omd knockout mice, whereas OMD administration exhibited a protective effect against pulpitis. Mechanistically, the transcriptome alterations of OMD overexpression showed significant enrichment in the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway. Interleukin-1 receptor 1 (IL1R1), a vital membrane receptor activating the NF-κB pathway, was significantly downregulated in OMD-overexpressing hDPSCs. Additionally, the interaction between OMD and IL1R1 was verified using co-immunoprecipitation and molecular docking. In vivo, excessive pulpal inflammation in Omd-deficient mice was rescued using an IL1R antagonist. Overall, OMD played a protective role in the inflammatory response via the IL1R1/NF-κB signaling pathway. OMD may optimize the immunomodulatory functions of hDPSCs and can be used for regenerative endodontics.
Pulpitis/metabolism* ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Animals ; Signal Transduction ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Knockout ; Dental Pulp/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Lipopolysaccharides

Tooth pulpitis is a prevalent oral disorder. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of pulpitis and developing effective treatment strategies hold great significance. Ferroptosis has recently emerged as a new form of cell death, but the role of ferroptosis in pulpitis remains largely unknown. In our study, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was used to identify cellular heterogeneity between 3 pulpitis tissue and 3 healthy pulp tissue, and explored ferroptosis occurrence in pulpitis tissue and inflamed dental pulp cells (DPCs). In scRNA-seq, 40 231 cells (Pulpitis: 17 814; Healthy pulp: 22 417) were captured, and visualized into 12 distinct cell clusters. Differentially expressed ferroptosis-related genes (DE-FRGs) were almost presented in each cluster in pulpitis vs healthy pulp. ROS and Fe²⁺ levels significantly rose, and immunohistochemistry showed low expression of GPX4 and high expression of PTGS2 in pulpitis. In LPS-stimulated DPCs, thymosin α1 increased the expression of GPX4 and FTL, and decreased expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and Fe²⁺ levels. In rat pulpitis models, both prothymosin α (PTMA, precursor of thymosin α1) gelatin sponge placed at the hole of pulp (LPS-P(gs)) and PTMA injection in pulp (LPS-P(i)) significantly reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells and expression of PTGS2, and increased the expression of GPX4. In RNA sequencing, the expression of DE-FRGs were reversed when thymosin α1 were added in LPS-stimulated DPCs. Collectively, single-cell atlas reveals cellular heterogeneity between pulpitis and healthy pulp, and ferroptosis occurrence in pulpitis. Thymosin α1 may reduce ferroptosis in DPCs to alleviate pulpitis and thus potentially has the ability to treat pulpitis.
Ferroptosis/drug effects* ; Dental Pulp/drug effects* ; Animals ; Pulpitis/pathology* ; Rats ; Thymalfasin/pharmacology* ; Humans ; Male ; Thymosin/pharmacology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Immature permanent teeth refer to those that have erupted but have not yet formed and matured in terms of shape and structure. The characteristics of their disease onset and treatment methods are different from those of ordinary permanent teeth. Children with special healthcare needs often lack the capacity to cooperate during routine dental procedures, making treatment under general anesthesia (GA) the preferred option. With social advancements, the demand for pediatric dental GA has considerably increased. This study discuss the treatment strategies for immature permanent teeth under GA, including diagnosis, therapeutic principles, key considerations, and clinical approaches for dental caries, pulpitis periapical periodontitis, etc.
Child ; Humans ; Anesthesia, General ; Dental Caries/diagnosis* ; Dentition, Permanent ; Periapical Periodontitis/therapy* ; Pulpitis/therapy*

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to observe the color rebound and rebound rates of non-pulp discolored teeth within 1 year after routine internal bleaching to guide clinical practice and prompt prognosis. METHODS: In this work, the efficacy of bleaching was observed in 20 patients. The color of discolored teeth was measured by using a computerized colorimeter before bleaching; immediately after bleaching; and at the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th months after bleaching. The L*, a*, and b* values of the color of cervical, mesial, and incisal parts of the teeth were obtained, and the color change amounts ΔE*, ΔL*, Δa*, and Δb* were calculated. The overall rebound rate (P*) and the color rebound velocity (V*) were also analyzed over time. RESULTS: In 20 patients following treatment, the average ΔE* of tooth color change was 14.99. After bleaching, the neck and middle of the teeth ΔE* and ΔL* decreased in the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th months, and the differences were statistically significant. Meanwhile, from the 9th month after bleaching, the rebound speed was lower than that in the 1st month, and the difference was statistically significant. The incisal end of the tooth ΔE* and ΔL* decreased in the 6th, 9th, and 12th months after bleaching, and the differences were statistically significant. No significant difference was found in the rebound speed between time points. However, this rate settled after the 9th month, with an average color rebound rate of 30.11% in 20 patients. CONCLUSIONS The results indicated that internal bleaching could cause a noticeable color change on pulpless teeth. The color rebound after bleaching was mainly caused by lightness (L*), which gradually decreased with time, and it was slightly related to a* and b*. The color of the teeth after internal bleaching rebounded to a certain extent with time, but the color rebound speed became stable from the 9th month. Clinically, secondary internal bleaching can be considered at this time according to whether the colors of the affected tooth and the adjacent tooth are coordinated and depending on the patient's needs.
Humans ; Tooth Bleaching/methods* ; Tooth, Nonvital/drug therapy* ; Color ; Tooth Discoloration/drug therapy* ; Tooth ; Hydrogen Peroxide/therapeutic use* ; Tooth Bleaching Agents/therapeutic use*

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to predict the risk of deep caries exposure in radiographic images based on the convolutional neural network model, compare the prediction results of the network model with those of senior dentists, evaluate the performance of the model for teaching and training stomatological students and young dentists, and assist dentists to clarify treatment plans and conduct good doctor-patient communication before surgery. METHODS: A total of 206 cases of pulpitis caused by deep caries were selected from the Department of Stomatological Hospital of Tianjin Medical University from 2019 to 2022. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 104 cases of pulpitis were exposed during the decaying preparation period and 102 cases of pulpitis were not exposed. The 206 radiographic images collected were randomly divided into three groups according to the proportion: 126 radiographic images in the training set, 40 radiographic images in the validation set, and 40 radiographic images in the test set. Three convolutional neural networks, visual geometry group network (VGG), residual network (ResNet), and dense convolutional network (DenseNet) were selected to analyze the rules of the radiographic images in the training set. The radiographic images of the validation set were used to adjust the super parameters of the network. Finally, 40 radiographic images of the test set were used to evaluate the performance of the three network models. A senior dentist specializing in dental pulp was selected to predict whether the deep caries of 40 radiographic images in the test set were exposed. The gold standard is whether the pulp is exposed after decaying the prepared hole during the clinical operation. The prediction effect of the three network models (VGG, ResNet, and DenseNet) and the senior dentist on the pulp exposure of 40 radiographic images in the test set were compared using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, area under the ROC curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and F1 score to select the best network model. RESULTS: The best network model was DenseNet model, with AUC of 0.97. The AUC values of the ResNet model, VGG model, and the senior dentist were 0.89, 0.78, and 0.87, respectively. Accuracy was not statistically different between the senior dentist (0.850) and the DenseNet model (0.850)(P>0.05). Kappa consistency test showed moderate reliability (Kappa=0.6>0.4, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Among the three convolutional neural network models, the DenseNet model has the best predictive effect on whether deep caries are exposed in imaging. The predictive effect of this model is equivalent to the level of senior dentists specializing in dental pulp.
Humans ; Deep Learning ; Neural Networks, Computer ; Pulpitis/diagnostic imaging* ; Reproducibility of Results ; ROC Curve ; Random Allocation

Devitalization has been widely used in the root canal therapy of primary and permanent teeth in China more than ten years ago. With the development of local anesthetic drugs and injection technologies, this treatment method with high potential risks has been gradually abandoned. However, a questionnaire survey targeted all the participants at the 2018 China Pediatric Dentistry Conference showed that the devitalizer utilization proportion was still as high as 38.1% (383/1 005), even though the ratio was much lower than 75.5% (105/139) in 2003. These doctors had pay more attention to tissue burn caused by devitalizer marginal leakage or direct leakage, and know how to identify and handle with devitalizer burn. Devitalizers were usually made of arsenic trioxide, metal arsenic or paraformaldehyde, which have cytotoxicity, allergenicity, mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, and teratogenic effects on animals. Marginal leakage of devitalizers have high risks of causing soft and hard tissue necrosis. Most of the dentists have an understanding of the potential damages of arsenic containing devitalizers, so they will choose parafor maldehyde with relatively less toxicity. Paraformaldehyde has a certain self limitation, and there are few cases reported, so some dentists lack of vigilance. Paraformaldehyde can also causes tissue necrosis if leakage happens, and the treatment methods are similar to that of arsenic containing devitalizers. When handling with devitalizers burn, the necrosed soft and hard tissue, for example gingiva, alveolar bone or teeth that cannot keep, must be completely removed until fresh blood appears, then rinse with large amount of saline and seal with iodoform gauze. This paper described two cases of devitalizer burn during the root canal treatment of primary molars, both of the doctors failed to identify the devitalizer burn symptoms in the early stage, thus didn't do proper treatments immediately after burning. Resulting in the necrosis of large area of gingiva and alveolar bone, loss of primary molars and permanent tooth germs 1-2 months after devitalizer burn. This paper reported these two cases in detail in order to warn dentists the high risks of using any kind of devitalizers, help them learn how to identify and treat devitalizer burn, and remind them to stop using devitalizers as soon as possible.
Arsenic/toxicity* ; China ; Dental Pulp Devitalization ; Humans ; Necrosis ; Root Canal Therapy ; Tooth Germ ; Tooth Loss/chemically induced* ; Tooth, Deciduous

Dens invaginatus (DI) is a developmental anomaly as a result of a deepening or invagination of the enamel organ into the dental papilla during tooth development. In addition, DI is a malformation with varying anatomical features, which poses numerous challenges to treatment. Endodontic treatment of dens in dente is one of the most complica-ted cases of DI. Herein, an immature lateral incisor that employed regenerative endodontic treatment was presented. The mentioned tooth was diagnosed with DI, pulp necrosis, and chronic apical periodontitis. Hence, a favorable prognosis has been shown by a 2-year review with cone beam computed tomography. The tooth was functional with normal periodontal parameters and exhibited a normal response to the electric pulp sensibility test. Thus, regenerative endodontic treatment can also be recommended to endodontists for teeth with DI.
Humans ; Regenerative Endodontics ; Incisor/diagnostic imaging* ; Dens in Dente ; Dental Pulp Necrosis/therapy* ; Odontogenesis

Regenerative endodontic procedures (REPs) is a biologic-based treatment modality for immature permanent teeth diagnosed with pulp necrosis. The ultimate objective of REPs is to regenerate the pulp-dentin complex, extend the tooth longevity and restore the normal function. Scientific evidence has demonstrated the efficacy of REPs in promotion of root development through case reports, case series, cohort studies, and randomized controlled studies. However, variations in clinical protocols for REPs exist due to the empirical nature of the original protocols and rapid advancements in the research field of regenerative endodontics. The heterogeneity in protocols may cause confusion among dental practitioners, thus guidelines and considerations of REPs should be explicated. This expert consensus mainly discusses the biological foundation, the available clinical protocols and current status of REPs in treating immature teeth with pulp necrosis, as well as the main complications of this treatment, aiming at refining the clinical management of REPs in accordance with the progress of basic researches and clinical studies, suggesting REPs may become a more consistently evidence-based option in dental treatment.
Humans ; Consensus ; Regenerative Endodontics ; Dental Pulp Necrosis/therapy* ; Dentists ; Professional Role ; Dental Care

Regenerative endodontic therapy is a tissue engineering based approach of treatment for endodontic disease. Its purpose is to achieve the regeneration of the pulp-dentin complex, thus to promote root development of the immature permanent tooth with necrotic pulp. Like other treatments based on tissue engineering techniques, the success of regenerative pulp therapy depends on such three elements as seed cells, scaffold materials and growth factors. Since its inception 20 years ago, there have been various terminologies in the literature, with similarities and differences in connotation. The present article summarizes and analyzes the term evolution, biological basis, clinical considerations and future scientific research directions of regenerative endodontics, in order to find out the unsolved scientific problems and to promote the development and standardization of this technique in clinical practice.
Dental Pulp ; Dental Pulp Necrosis ; Humans ; Regeneration ; Regenerative Endodontics ; Root Canal Therapy ; Tissue Engineering