Repair potential of biodentine in vital pulp therapies in mature permanent teeth: a narrative review

Abstract

Vital pulp therapy in dentistry seeks to treat lesions in the dental pulp caused by cavities, trauma or iatrogenic procedures. Its objective is to maintain the vitality and function of the pulp, restoring the continuity of the dentin, known as the dentinal bridge. The dentinal bridge is crucial for injury repair and promotes pulp healing. Stem cells from the dental pulp can differentiate into odontoblasts, responsible for the formation of reparative dentin. To achieve success in vital pulp therapy, factors such as the appropriate choice of biocompatible biomaterials that prevent bacterial infiltration and inflammatory reactions, as well as the response of the pulp to injury, must be considered. An emerging material is Biodentine, a dentin substitute based on calcium silicate that induces the formation of dentin bridges and has demonstrated effectiveness in the repair of the dentine-pulp complex. It acts through specific molecular pathways by inducing the differentiation of dental pulp stem cells. This narrative review aims to describe the restorative potential of Biodentine in vital pulp therapies in mature permanent teeth. Its ability to reduce pulp inflammation, differentiate stem cells, the mechanism of action for the formation of tertiary dentin and characteristics of the dentinal bridge were evaluated. The results indicate that Biodentine has anti-inflammatory properties and stimulates dentin regeneration, influencing cell differentiation and mineralization. To conclude, Biodentine shows broad reparative potential in vital pulp therapies in mature permanent teeth, reduction of pulp inflammation, great cellular bioactivity, differentiation, and high dentin quality.