What is it?

Calcium Hydroxide Composition is a rigid, self setting material

What is it used for?

Useful in pulp-capping, and as a protective base/liner under dental filling materials

Additional Info: Calcium Hydroxide

It is generally believed that calcium hydroxide (CH) is ideal for direct pulp capping since it accelerates the formation of reparative dentin. There are 2 reasons for this: first, since the material is basic (pH of 11), it serves as an irritant stimulating the formation of reparative dentin; and second, the therapeutic affect of CH may be due to its ability to extract growth

factors from the dentin matrix. The result is the formation of a dentin bridge, which allows pulpal repair. However, these concepts are challenged by Schuurs et al who concluded that although CH causes the formation of a dentin bridge, this seal does not last. Eventually the pulp will undergo necrosis as a result of microleakage.

Due to the fact that CH has a basic pH, it is not generally supportive of bacterial growth. When the base and catalyst portions of CH were tested separately, only the catalyst component was shown to have any antibacterial effect. In addition, since bacterial byproducts are acidic, CH will directly counteract this acidity and effectively neutralize these byproducts. It for this reason that CH is placed under zinc phosphate—to help reduce the acidity of the zinc phosphate. CH is available in chemical- cured forms (example: Dycal, DENTSPLY Caulk) and light-cured forms (example: Prisma VLC Dycal, DENTSPLY Caulk)