An evaluation of a glass ionomer luting agent: pulpal histological response.

Pulpal histological response after crown cementation with a glass ionomer luting agent was evaluated and compared with the response to a polycarboxylate cement or a varnish plus zinc phosphate cement. Pulpal histological response was evaluated on teeth that had full crowns cemented with the test luting agents 3, 10, and 56 days after cementation. No statistically significant differences were found in pulpal histological response between the materials tested during all periods. These findings suggest that factors other than pulpal inflammation are contributing to the reported hypersensitivity after cementation associated with glass ionomer luting agents.