(PR03) Ex Vivo Evaluation of the Effect of Pulpotomy on the Thermal and Electrical Pulp Tests in Mandibular Molars

Objective: To measure the effect of pulpotomy with two different materials on the electrical resistance and the time required for temperature change (heat and cold) in extracted mandibular molars. 10 contralateral pairs of immature permanent human molars, each pair extracted from the same patient, were assigned to one of two experimental groups (n=10): Biodentine or BC Putty. Thermal and electric pulp tests were performed before and after pulpotomy. Pre-operative thermal tests were performed with a sensor placed through the immature distal apical foramen to the level of the pulp chamber roof. After pulpotomy, the sensor was again placed through the distal foramen to the level of the restorative material at the canal orifice. For thermal tests, time required to elicit a 3°C temperature change was recorded. For the electric pulp test (EPT), voltage difference was recorded using a Voltmeter. Tests were performed at 37°C. All readings were performed in triplicate and averaged. Data were statistically analyzed at a 5% significance level. For both thermal tests, a significant difference (T test, P<0.05) in the time was found between the pre- and post-pulpotomy groups, but no significant difference was observed between Biodentine and BC Putty groups. For EPT, a significant difference was found between the resistance measured before and after pulpotomy procedure, regardless of the material used (Wilcoxon Signed Rank test, P<0.05). Pulpotomy treatment influenced the response to thermal and electrical pulp tests regardless of the material used, requiring greater time to detect changes in temperature and increased voltage.