Biomarkers for objective assessment of pulpitis V1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Biomarkers for objective assessment of pulpitis and prediction of vital pulp treatment outcome
IRAS ID
354280
Contact name
Ikhlas El karim
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Tooth decay is a very common condition that can lead to inflammation inside the tooth nerve, known as pulpitis. When this happens, people often experience toothache and may need urgent dental treatment. Currently, dentists diagnose pulpitis based on the patient’s reporting of their pain and how the tooth responds to certain tests. However, these methods are not always accurate, which can result in unnecessary invasive treatments (such as root canal treatment or extractions).
This study aims to investigate whether levels of specific biomarkers (molecules found in biological material) can provide useful information about how inflamed the pulp is. The study also investigates whether this inflammation is likely to respond well to a less invasive treatment for deep decay called vital pulp therapy.
The study will take place at the the School of Dentistry, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust (BHSCT) and the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine at Queen’s University Belfast. Adult patients undergoing dental treatment for deep tooth decay treatment and healthy teeth removal for clinical reasons (for example, wisdom tooth removal) will be invited to take part.
We aim to recruit 162 participants over three years. The study involves collecting biological samples, which otherwise would be removed and discarded during routine dental care. In this study, these samples will be collected for laboratory analysis to explore potential correlations with pulp inflammatory status and VPT treatment outcomes.
This research could help improve understanding of methods to objectively measure pulpitis and how the level of inflammation responds to treatment. This may support better treatment decisions in the future, potentially helping to avoid unnecessary dental procedures.
REC name
HSC REC A
REC reference
25/NI/0114
Date of REC Opinion
22 Sep 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion