Histological evaluation of pulp response to alendronate and Biodentine as pulp capping agents: an animal study.

Objectives: This study aimed to comparatively assess the histological response of the pulp toward alendronate and Biodentine in a direct pulp capping procedure.

Materials and methods: Twenty-four anterior teeth from 6 New Zealand rabbits were used in this study. Firstly, all rabbits were anesthetized according to their weight. Class V cavities were prepared on the buccal surfaces of anterior teeth. A pin-point exposure of the pulp was then made using a small, sterile round carbide bur and bleeding was arrested with a saline-soaked, sterile cotton pellet. The teeth under study were divided into 2 groups (n = 12). The intentionally exposed pulp was capped with alendronate (Group 1) and Biodentine (Group 2), correspondingly. After 30 days, all rabbits were euthanized; the teeth under study were extracted and taken up for histological analysis.

Results: Biodentine showed an intact, very dense dentin bridge formation with a uniform odontoblast (OD) layer pattern and mild or absent inflammatory response whereas specimens capped with alendronate demonstrated a dense dentin bridge formation with non-uniform OD layer pattern and mild to moderate inflammatory response.

Conclusions: Biodentine showed more biocompatibility than alendronate. However, alendronate can initiate reparative dentin formation and may be used as an alternative pulp capping agent.