Histological evaluation of a self-priming etchant adhesive system.

Vital dentin is an extension of certain pulpal tissues, presenting the first line of defense against patient hypersensitivity and the long-term bacterial microleakage that can lead to recurrent caries and pulp inflammation. High-speed cavity preparation and forced air-drying of vital dentin causes the displacement of cells into vital dentinal tubules. However, after restoration, pulps recover and deposit reparative dentin deposition within 2 weeks. The purpose of the study discussed in this article was to observe the pulp healing response after cavity preparation and restoration with a total-etch or a calcium-hydroxide control. Teeth from adult monkeys were prepared with ultra-high-speed and water spray. Class V cavities were prepared and observed at three International Standardization Organization (ISO) time-usage periods. Tissues were collected following established procedures. A few pulps showed slight odontoblastic disruption at 7 days from cavity-preparation trauma. There was no pulp inflammation associated with any restorative system at the intermediate- and long-time ISO time periods. There was less deposition of reparative dentin associated with the one-bottle Tyrian system than with the calcium-hydroxide control or the total-etch system.