Indirect pulp therapy (IPT) is a common conservative treatment for deep dental caries. However, the potential risk factors for the prognosis of IPT have not been well studied. This study retrospectively investigated the success rate of IPT in treating primary molars with deep caries and the factors potentially affecting the two-year success rate. A total of 303 primary molars in 202 children (106 boys and 96 girls) were included in this study. These primary molars were identified as having deep caries by clinical and radiographic examinations and were treated with IPT. The factors potentially affecting the IPT success rate were analyzed after two years of follow-up. The results indicated that the two-year IPT success rate was 86% (262/303). The success rate of primary molars with and without stainless steel crowns was 96% (120/125) and 80% (142/178), respectively. Primary molars treated with stainless steel crowns showed a significantly lower risk of failure (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.18, 95% confidence interval (CI): (0.10, 0.34), p = 0.01). There were no significant differences in other factors, including gender (male vs. female), age (preschool vs. school age), cooperation level (Frankl 2 vs. 3 or 4 scales), arch type (maxillary vs. mandibular), tooth type (first vs. second primary molar), or pulp capping material (calcium hydroxide vs. glass ionomer cement). IPT is an effective, conservative treatment modality for primary molars with deep caries. Stainless steel crowns could significantly improve the IPT success rate.

UNASSIGNED: Dental pulp stem cells can be isolated from human teeth with deep caries (cDPSCs), but their biological characteristics are still unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the angiogenic potential of cDPSCs and compare them to dental pulp stem cells from human normal teeth (nDPSCs).
UNASSIGNED: Cells were isolated from human pulp tissue of normal and infected teeth with deep caries. Basic mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) characterization was conducted. Colony forming units and proliferation ability were evaluated in nDPSCs and cDPSCs. Expression of VEGF in both tissues and cells was examined by immunohistochemical staining. After stimulating nDPSCs and cDPSCs with an angiogenic medium, angiogenic markers were evaluated by qRT-PCR and western blotting. Finally, tube formation assays were used to evaluate the in vitro angiogenesis potential of both cell populations.
UNASSIGNED: Both nDPSCs and cDPSCs possessed typical MSC characteristics. cDPSCs had enhanced colony formation and proliferation capacities than nDPSCs did. The expression of VEGF was higher in pulp tissue from teeth with deep caries and cDPSCs than in normal tissue and nDPSCs. When both cell types were grown in vitro under angiogenic conditions, cDPSCs expressed a higher level of angiogenic markers and showed a stronger angiogenesis potential than nDPSCs did.
UNASSIGNED: cDPSCs maintained MSC traits and presented a higher angiogenesis potential than nDPSCs.

UNASSIGNED: To evaluate the therapeutic effects of pulpotomy and pulpectomy on deciduous molars with deep caries.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 124 children (192 molars) with deep caries treated from February 2014 to February 2015 were selected. They each had at least one molar with deep caries. MTA pulpotomy (101 molars) and Vitapex pulpectomy (91 molars) as well as prefabricated metal crown repair were conducted. The patients were followed up for 18 months after surgery, and the therapeutic effects were evaluated through clinical and X-ray examinations.
UNASSIGNED: The proportion of molars without lesions was 80.20% in pulpotomy group, which significantly exceeded that of pulpectomy group (72.53%). The pulpotomy group with good clinical manifestations underwent spontaneous pain in four molars during follow-up, and five molars gradually underwent pain and gingival redness and swelling. The pulpectomy group suffered from occlusion discomfort in nine molars and gingival fistula in seven molars during follow-up. The postoperative morbidity of pulpectomy group was significantly higher than that of pulpotomy group (χ2=4.50, P=0.04). The 18-month tooth survival rates of pulpotomy and pulpectomy groups were 90% and 79% respectively, which were significantly different (χ2=4.645, P=0.031).
UNASSIGNED: The postoperative outcomes of pulpotomy are superior to those of pulpectomy.