Development of a Direct Pulp-capping Model for the Evaluation of Pulpal Wound Healing and Reparative Dentin Formation in Mice

The overall goal of this protocol is to present the direct pulp-capping procedure in mice. This method can help you answer key questions in pulp biology, such as, how pulp heals, or how reparative dentin forms, when you place trapped pulp-capping materials on the exposed pulp. The main advantage of this technique is that the actual direct pulp-capping procedure performed in humans can also be done in mice, in exactly the same manner.

The implications of this technique extends towards improving material properties to save tooths that is otherwise doomed to be more invasive treatments, such as root canal therapy. After properly anesthetizing the mouse for the procedure, position the mouth holder in its mouth, and secure the other end to the table such that the head is facing upward. Using good lighting and a stereoscope, observe the first maxillary molar.