Effect of IRM on human dental pulp.

IRM has been shown to be superior to conventional ZnOE cements. This study is a biotechnical investigation of IRM's effect on the dental pulp with respect to its sealing capacity. Enamel-dentin test bodies with IRM fillings were used in the in vitro part, where insufficiencies in sealing were detected with compressed air. The in vivo part included 44 buccal cavities in intact premolars. In teeth in which the material effect of IRM was tested, the IRM fillings were sealed off from the saliva by acid etch and composite resin. The observation intervals were 1, 7 and 28 days. Histologic changes such as capillary dilatations and presence of inflammatory cells in the pulp adjacent to the dentinal tubules involved in the cavity preparation were registered. The in vitro test showed no leakage in five cases out of six. After extreme temperature cycling, the leakage was comparable with that of zinc-containing amalgam of traditional alloy. The pulpal changes were mild and mainly ascribed to the material effect of IRM, since no evidence was found of leakage of biologic importance.