Glutaraldehyde: an alternative to formocresol for vital pulp therapy

Based on the limited results of this eight-week comparison of formocresol and glutaraldehyde, it would appear that glutaraldehyde may offer distinct advantages over formocresol, in the treatment of cariously exposed primary and young permanent teeth. In particular, due to its chemical structure, it is more active in fixing the surface tissues and is more rapidly limited in its depth of penetration through these tissues. Glutaraldehyde does not exhibit as significant an ability to induce the total loss of vitality, in the radicular pulp tissues. The progression of formocresol treated pulps to apparent fibrotic replacement via granulation-tissue ingrowth, through the apex, does not occur with the glutaraldehyde-treated pulp tissues. There may, however, be a slow progression of fibrotic replacement of the glutaraldehyde fixed tissue, in the coronal portion of the radicular pulp. Perhaps most importantly it would seem that since the glutaraldehyde does not perfuse the tissues to the apex, it will not demonstrate systemic distribution and other extradental phenomena, as have been identified with the use of formocresol

[Structure and vascularization of the dental pulp in horse incisors]

The dental pulp of 34 horses aged between 4 months and 20 years has been studied on India ink injected and on paraffin embedded specimens. The pulp dimensions of the first and especially of the second dentition decrease with age. This reduction is accompanied by pronounced changes of structure; the mucous connective tissue becomes a dense, irregular connective tissue. The vessels are numerous and make a network particularly rich at the margins of the pulp; they diminish with advancing age. The reduction of the pulp volume and the regression of its vascular network are particularly pronounced at the crown level whose pulp cavity is progressively filled with secondary dentin. The regression of the vascular network precedes the reduction of the pulp volume.

Histological considerations of direct pulp capping agents

The results from this study showed a variety of pulpal responses to various calcium hydroxide materials when placed directly on the dental pulp. Two of the materials proved to be more successful at stimulating reparative dentin bridging and healing of the underlying pulp tissue. The remainder of the pulp capping agents were ineffective at healing the pulp and forming a reparative dentin bridge. When teeth were capped with these other agents, the pulp showed necrosis and chronic inflammation.

Pulpal reaction to bleaching of teeth in dogs

Hydrogen peroxide and heat are two components of a technique commonly used to bleach human teeth. The effects of these two components on pulp tissue of dog teeth were evaluated histologically. Hydrogen peroxide alone or with heat caused obliteration of odontoblasts, hemorrhage, resorption, and inflammatory infiltration, while heat alone was not detrimental. Pulpal changes demonstrated evidence of reversibility after 60 d.