Histological and CBCT evaluation of a pulpotomised primary molar using calcium enriched mixture cement.

BACKGROUND: Pulpotomy is one of the most commonly used treatments for retaining pulpally involved primary molar teeth in order to prevent tooth extraction and maintain space within the jaws. A recent randomised clinical trial found that calcium enriched mixture (CEM) cement demonstrated favourable 2-year treatment outcomes for pulpotomy of carious primary molars comparable with mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA). The use of cone beam computer tomography (CBCT) has not previously been used to evaluate pulpotomy and histological outcomes. CASE REPORT: A coronal pulpotomy was performed on a carious maxillary first primary molar in a 7-year-old child with non-contributory medical history. Following haemostasis, the radicular pulp was covered with 2-3 mm of CEM and the tooth restored. FOLLOW-UP: At the 2-year follow-up appointment, clinical/radiographic examinations of the pulpotomised tooth revealed that vital pulp therapy was successful in maintaining the tooth asymptomatic; however, the first maxillary molars had to be extracted for orthodontic reasons. CBCT and histological examinations showed thick/complete calcific bridges with tubular dentine at the amputation sites. The underlying dental pulp had normal structure and was un-inflamed. CONCLUSION: Based on these findings, it seems that CEM cement can induce a favourable biological response in dental pulps of primary teeth and CBCT may be useful to evaluate pulpotomy outcomes.

Spontaneous regeneration of the mandible after hemimandibulectomy: report of a case.

Mandibular defects may result from many conditions such as trauma, inflammatory diseases and tumors. There are rare cases reported in the literature that have demonstrated spontaneous bone regeneration after resection of the mandible. Several factors such as age, preservation of the periosteum and genetics seem to influence spontaneous bone regeneration capacity in individuals. Evaluation of these factors may lead to a better understanding of the mechanism of spontaneous bone regeneration and also help to create new methods for bone reconstruction. The purpose of this article was to describe the spontaneous regeneration of the hemi-mandible with a well shaped condyle and coronoid after resecting a mandibular pathologic lesion in a young man.