University of Buffalo dental school receives grant to study root canal alternative

Dr. Hacer Aksel, a clinical assistant professor of periodontics and endodontics at the University of Buffalo (N.Y.) School of Dental Medicine, has received a grant to study vital pulp therapy. 

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The minimally invasive therapy is a potential alternative treatment to traditional root canals that aims to maintain and preserve healthy pulp tissue in damaged teeth, according to a Jan. 26 news release from the university. 

The effectiveness of vital pulp theory is dependent on the inflammatory status and healing capacity of dental pulp. The study will investigate the effects of MMP-9, an enzyme that may have the potential to predict the status and capacity, the release said.

Biomaterials for regenerative pulp therapies will be developed using the results from the study. 

The grant was awarded by the American Association of Endodontists’ Foundation for Endodontics.

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