Enamel Matrix Derivative Promotes Reparative Processes in the Dental Pulp

• Published in: Advances in dental research 2001-08, Vol.15 (1), p.105-107
• Main Authors: Nakamura, Y., Hammarström, L., Lundberg, E., Ekdahl, H., Matsumoto, K., Gestrelius, S., Lyngstadaas, S.P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Bicuspid; Calcium Hydroxide - therapeutic use; Dental Cavity Preparation - adverse effects; Dental Enamel Proteins - therapeutic use; Dental Pulp - drug effects; Dental Pulp Capping; Dental Pulp Exposure - physiopathology; Dental Pulp Exposure - therapy; Dental Restoration, Permanent; Dentin - drug effects; Dentin - pathology; Dentin, Secondary - drug effects; Dentin, Secondary - pathology; Dentinogenesis - drug effects; Dentistry; Glass Ionomer Cements; Odontoblasts - drug effects; Odontoblasts - pathology; Statistics as Topic; Swine; Swine, Miniature; Time Factors; Wound Healing - drug effects
• ISSN: 0895-9374; 1544-0737
• DOI: 10.1177/08959374010150010201

During odontogenesis, amelogenins from the preameloblasts are translocated to differentiating odontoblasts in the dental papilla, suggesting that amelogenins may be associated with odontoblast changes during development. In the present study, we have explored the effects of enamel matrix derivative (EMD) on the healing of a pulpal wound. Coronal pulp tissue of permanent maxillary premolars of miniature swine were exposed through buccal class V cavities. The exposed pulp was capped with EMD. The contralateral teeth served as controls and were capped with a calcium hydroxide paste (Dycal®). The cavities were sealed with glass-ionomer cement. After 2 and 4 weeks, the histology of the teeth was analyzed. In the EMD-treated teeth, large amounts of newly formed dentin-like hard tissue with associated formative cells outlined the pulpal wound separating the cavity area from the remaining pulp tissue. Inflammatory cells were present in the wound area but not subjacent to the newly formed hard tissue. Morphometric analysis showed that the amount of hard tissue formed in EMD-treated teeth was more than twice that of the calcium-hydroxide-treated control teeth (p < 0.001), suggesting that EMD is capable of promoting reparative processes in the wounded pulp more strongly than is calcium hydroxide.