A prospective clinical study investigating the effectiveness of partial pulpotomy after relating preoperative symptoms to a new and established classification of pulpitis.

AIM: To prospectively investigate the outcome of partial pulpotomy after 1 year, using a hydraulic calcium silicate cement (HCSC) on symptomatic cariously exposed pulps in adult teeth. To compare the traditional American Association of Endodontists (AAE) pulpitis classification with the recently proposed Wolters classification system in predicting the likelihood of treatment failure. METHODOLOGY: Sixty-two symptomatic adult teeth with deep and extremely deep carious lesions were classified according to the Wolters (mild/moderate/severe pulpitis) and the traditional pulpitis classification (reversible/irreversible pulpitis). Eleven teeth were excluded intraoperatively as there was no pulp exposure after non-selective caries removal. The remaining 51 teeth, regardless of diagnosis, were treated by partial pulpotomy, pulpal lavage with 2.5% sodium hypochlorite solution, haemostasis and HCSC application (Biodentine™) as a pulp capping material. A permanent restoration was placed during a second appointment 1-2 weeks later. Preoperative tenderness to percussion (TTP), bleeding time and material setting time were recorded as was preoperative and postoperative tooth colour under standardized conditions. Clinical review occurred at regular intervals with clinical/radiographic analysis at 12 months. Chi-square analysis and Fisher's exact test assessed different outcomes amongst the diagnostic categories; the Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon rank-sum test assessed influence of pulp bleeding time, TTP or variation in setting time (p < .05). RESULTS: Ten cases were lost to review, and a total of 41 teeth were reviewed at 1 year and classified as either "success," "successful but unresponsive to sensibility testing" or "failed." This included five severe, 17 moderate and 19 mild pulpitis according to Wolters classification or 23 reversible pulpitis and 18 irreversible pulpitis cases by the AAE classification. The majority of the 62 enrolled cases were "extremely deep" (n = 50), rather than "deep" (n = 12) caries with all failures occurring in the extremely deep group. Partial pulpotomy was 90% successful (100% reversible, 78% irreversible or 100% mild, 88% moderate, 60% severe pulpitis) with a significant difference in outcome between mild and severe pulpitis groups (p = .04). Only one, severe pulpitis/irreversible pulpitis, case failed painfully prior to the 1-year review appointment. Bleeding time (p = .26) and TTP (p = .61) did not influence treatment outcome, whilst Biodentine™ setting time was significantly longer than manufacturers' claim (p < .05). No teeth discoloured. CONCLUSIONS: Partial pulpotomy using Biodentine™ was successful for treating symptomatic carious pulpal exposures after 1 year, but included cases where pulp vitality could not be confirmed. Within the limitations of this study, cases with signs and symptoms indicative of irreversible pulpitis were not less successful; however, Wolters classification highlighted severe pulpitis to be less successful than mild pulpitis, thereby providing a potential prognostic benefit in diagnostically subdividing pulpitis. Caries depth was an indicator of failure, whilst bleeding time and preoperative tenderness to percussion were not.

Efficacy of different irrigant activation devices in removing dentin debris from an artificial isthmus connecting curved canals.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the debridement efficacy of sonic irrigation (EDDY; VDW, Munich, Germany and EndoActivator; Dentsply-Sirona, Ballaigues, Switzerland) and ultrasonically activated irrigation (Irrisafe; Satelec Acteon, Merignac, France) in a simulated canal isthmus connecting curved canals. Transparent resin blocks were produced containing two curved canals connected with an isthmus. The isthmus was then filled with dentin debris. Three irrigant activation cycles were performed and the amount of remaining debris was compared analysing pictures taken after each activation cycle. Data were statistically analysed using one-way ANOVA and post hoc Tukey tests at a significance level of p < 0.05. EDDY showed greater efficiency in removing dentin debris from the simulated isthmus than the other techniques tested. An increase in the activation time enhanced the efficiency of both EDDY and ultrasonically activated irrigation in debris removal.

Dental Practice after COVID-19 Pandemic: Analysis of Italian Guidelines and Current Literature to Propose Appropriate Protocols for Dental Practices.

On March 11th, 2020, WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic. This disease is caused by SARS-CoV-2, a virus that can be spread by symptomatic or asymptomatic carriers through contact, droplets and airborne transmission. Because of the transmission routes of this virus, dental treatments are considered "high risk" procedures, both for patients and operators. Italy was one of the most affected European countries and experienced a long lockdown period. Guidelines were provided by the Italian Health Ministry for a safe reopening of dental practices. In this article those guidelines are reported and compared with the available literature. The Italian model for reopening dental practice appears to be coherent with the indications provided by WHO and is supported by several studies.

A Case of SAPHO Syndrome with Endodontic Implications and Treatment with Biologic Drugs.

SAPHO syndrome (SS) is an autoinflammatory disease characterized by synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, and osteitis. Among the sites affected by the osteoarticular manifestations of SS are the anterior chest wall and the mandible. The etiology of SS is still unknown; theories advocate a genetic predisposition and an infectious cause in association with disorders of the immune system. We report a case of SS in which there was the involvement of the mandible with a lesion of endodontic origin. A 44-year-old white woman diagnosed with SS at the university hospital was referred to the Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics for a consultation. She reported spontaneous pain localized to the periapical area of tooth #19 with a history of multiple restorative and endodontic treatments. It was diagnosed as a previously treated tooth with symptomatic apical periodontitis (AP) at the time of the endodontic evaluation. A second retreatment was then performed in 1 appointment under local anesthesia. During retreatment, a separated instrument and a ledge were found in the mesiobuccal canal, and attempts to bypass it were not successful; the canal was then obturated to the reachable length. Within the same month, the patient was also administered an anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha biologic medication in association with a disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs for the treatment of SS. Within 3 months, the overall therapy had led to a marked improvement of the systemic and mandibular symptoms, and a periapical radiograph showed almost complete healing of the lesion. Medical examinations have shown a total remission of signs and symptoms starting 6 months after the initiation of treatment. After 5 years, the disease is under control, and tooth #19 is symptom free and shows absence of AP. The endodontists need to be aware of the existence of SS and the possible effects of the use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and biologic medications on the treatment of persistent AP.