Promoting Dentin Bridge Formation Through N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine Application in Rat Molar Pulpotomy: An Experimental Study

Pulpotomy is performed when tooth decay reaches the dental pulp or when the crown is fractured due to trauma. Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) is commonly used in pulpotomy, but its prognosis can be variable. N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), an antioxidant amino acid, has garnered attention due to its pot...

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Main Authors: Kota Takagi, Koichi Nakamura, Yoshitaka Yoshimura, Yasutaka Yawaka
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Journal of Functional Biomaterials
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4983/16/4/117
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author Kota Takagi
Koichi Nakamura
Yoshitaka Yoshimura
Yasutaka Yawaka
author_facet Kota Takagi
Koichi Nakamura
Yoshitaka Yoshimura
Yasutaka Yawaka
author_sort Kota Takagi
collection DOAJ
description Pulpotomy is performed when tooth decay reaches the dental pulp or when the crown is fractured due to trauma. Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) is commonly used in pulpotomy, but its prognosis can be variable. N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), an antioxidant amino acid, has garnered attention due to its potential benefits. This study aimed to investigate the effects of MTA and NAC on pulpotomy outcomes. We used Sprague Dawley rat maxillary molars to perform pulpotomy and employed Superbond C&B, MTA, and MTA mixed with NAC (MTA–NAC) for pulp capping. We obtained tissue sections 3 and 7 days postpulpotomy, conducting histological analysis by examining the morphology of pulp tissue and assessing dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP) and osteopontin expression levels. At 3 days postpulpotomy, MTA and MTA–NAC reduced the inflammatory response. At 7 days postpulpotomy, dentin bridge formation was observed following MTA–NAC application, and although MTA resulted in DSPP- and osteopontin-positive areas, these areas were more extensive following MTA–NAC application. Given that adding NAC to MTA enhanced dentin bridge formation, MTA–NAC appears to be a superior option for pulp capping.
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spelling doaj-art-c6a7bee391fe4c0d9409f9d446977cbc2025-08-20T02:18:09ZengMDPI AGJournal of Functional Biomaterials2079-49832025-03-0116411710.3390/jfb16040117Promoting Dentin Bridge Formation Through N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine Application in Rat Molar Pulpotomy: An Experimental StudyKota Takagi0Koichi Nakamura1Yoshitaka Yoshimura2Yasutaka Yawaka3Department of Dentistry for Children and Disabled Persons, Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 13 Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8586, JapanDepartment of Dentistry for Children and Disabled Persons, Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 13 Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8586, JapanDepartment of Molecular Cell Pharmacology, Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 13 Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8586, JapanDepartment of Dentistry for Children and Disabled Persons, Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 13 Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8586, JapanPulpotomy is performed when tooth decay reaches the dental pulp or when the crown is fractured due to trauma. Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) is commonly used in pulpotomy, but its prognosis can be variable. N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), an antioxidant amino acid, has garnered attention due to its potential benefits. This study aimed to investigate the effects of MTA and NAC on pulpotomy outcomes. We used Sprague Dawley rat maxillary molars to perform pulpotomy and employed Superbond C&B, MTA, and MTA mixed with NAC (MTA–NAC) for pulp capping. We obtained tissue sections 3 and 7 days postpulpotomy, conducting histological analysis by examining the morphology of pulp tissue and assessing dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP) and osteopontin expression levels. At 3 days postpulpotomy, MTA and MTA–NAC reduced the inflammatory response. At 7 days postpulpotomy, dentin bridge formation was observed following MTA–NAC application, and although MTA resulted in DSPP- and osteopontin-positive areas, these areas were more extensive following MTA–NAC application. Given that adding NAC to MTA enhanced dentin bridge formation, MTA–NAC appears to be a superior option for pulp capping.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4983/16/4/117mineral trioxide aggregateN-acetyl-L-cysteinepulp capping materialpulpotomy
spellingShingle Kota Takagi
Koichi Nakamura
Yoshitaka Yoshimura
Yasutaka Yawaka
Promoting Dentin Bridge Formation Through N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine Application in Rat Molar Pulpotomy: An Experimental Study
Journal of Functional Biomaterials
mineral trioxide aggregate
N-acetyl-L-cysteine
pulp capping material
pulpotomy
title Promoting Dentin Bridge Formation Through N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine Application in Rat Molar Pulpotomy: An Experimental Study
title_full Promoting Dentin Bridge Formation Through N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine Application in Rat Molar Pulpotomy: An Experimental Study
title_fullStr Promoting Dentin Bridge Formation Through N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine Application in Rat Molar Pulpotomy: An Experimental Study
title_full_unstemmed Promoting Dentin Bridge Formation Through N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine Application in Rat Molar Pulpotomy: An Experimental Study
title_short Promoting Dentin Bridge Formation Through N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine Application in Rat Molar Pulpotomy: An Experimental Study
title_sort promoting dentin bridge formation through n acetyl l cysteine application in rat molar pulpotomy an experimental study
topic mineral trioxide aggregate
N-acetyl-L-cysteine
pulp capping material
pulpotomy
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4983/16/4/117
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AT koichinakamura promotingdentinbridgeformationthroughnacetyllcysteineapplicationinratmolarpulpotomyanexperimentalstudy
AT yoshitakayoshimura promotingdentinbridgeformationthroughnacetyllcysteineapplicationinratmolarpulpotomyanexperimentalstudy
AT yasutakayawaka promotingdentinbridgeformationthroughnacetyllcysteineapplicationinratmolarpulpotomyanexperimentalstudy