Pulp Stones Research Articles

Evaluation of hard tissue characteristics and calcifications in pulp tissue of hypomineralized permanent molars using micro-computed tomography

ObjectivesTo determine and compare pulp volume, dentin mineral density, presence of microcracks, pulp stones, and accessory canals, as well as their localizations in root regions for hypomineralized and healthy teeth. DesignThis study included 60 extracted permanent molar teeth, categorized into hypomineralized and healthy groups (n = 30 each). The hypomineralized group comprised molar teeth with limited white, yellow, or brown opacities, post-eruptive breakdown, or extensive restoration or crown damage. The healthy group included caries-free molar teeth without these characteristics. Using 3D micro-computed tomography images pulp volume, dentin mineral density, and the presence and locations of microcracks, pulp stones, and accessory canals were determined for each group. Statistical analyses were conducted using Independent T-test and Chi-square test, with significance set at p < 0.05. ResultsThere was no statistically significant difference between the groups regarding pulp volume and microcracks (p ≥ 0.05). The number of accessory canals was significantly greater in the cervical (p = 0.011; p < 0.05) and middle (p = 0.010; p < 0.05) regions of the hypomineralized teeth than healthy teeth. Dentin mineral density was statistically higher in the apical, middle, and cervical root regions (p < 0.001; p < 0.05); however, the number of pulp stones was found to be greater in the cervical regions of healthy teeth compared with those with hypomineralization (p = 0.026; p < 0.05). ConclusionThere were lower dentin mineral density measurements, a decreased number of pulp stones in the cervical region, and a greater number of accessory canals in the middle and cervical regions of hypomineralized teeth compared with healthy teeth.

Distribution and influencing factors of pulp stones based on CBCT: a retrospective observational study from southwest China

BackgroundPulp stones are a type of pulp calcification, the presence of which tends to hinder endodontic treatment. Thus, this retrospective study aimed to analyze the distribution of pulp stones in the population in southwest China and identify the influencing factors.MaterialsCone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans of 5066 teeth of 200 patients (91 males and 109 females) aged 16–45 years were evaluated. Pulp stones were marked as either present or absent when distinct radiopaque masses were found in the pulp cavity, then evaluated the occurrence of pulp stones with regard to tooth type, sex, age group, and contact it with tooth status. The Pearson chi-square test and nonparametric test were used for statistical analysis.ResultsPulp stones were detected in 49.0% of patients and 7.4% of teeth, respectively. The incidence in females was 1.9 times higher than in males (OR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.1–3.3, p = 0.001). Pulp stones were most prevalent in patients 36–45 years of age. Furthermore, in the age range of 16–45 years, the likelihood of finding pulp stones increased 1.1 times per year with age (OR = 1.1, 95% CI = 1.0–1.1, p = 0.032). A higher incidence of pulp stones was observed in the maxilla and molars. Of the 5066 teeth studied, pulp stones were more common in non-intact teeth.ConclusionNearly half of the population in southwest China had pulp stones. Pulp stones were found significantly more often in females, maxilla, and non-intact teeth, and their frequency increased with age. For dentists, understanding the distribution of pulp stones is crucial for the proper design of root canal treatment (RCT).Trial registrationThis study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Southwest Medical University (certificate number: 20220818001).

Association between pulp stones and systemic diseases: A case-control study

Introduction: Pulp stones (PS) are calcifications commonly found in the pulp tissue that may be associated with systemic diseases. Objective: To evaluate the association between PS and systemic diseases. Methods: A case-control study with the inclusion of individuals from 18 to 65 years of age, of both sexes. Analysis was made of 1047 digital panoramic radiographs. The controls could not have any teeth with PS; the cases were the contrary. A questionnaire comprising demographic, habit, and general health (diabetes, problems with blood vessels, altered cholesterol level, heart attack, kidney or gallbladder stone, arthritis, or autoimmune disease, and for women, endometriosis, and ovarian cyst). Data were submitted to the Student's t-test to identify differences between groups about sex and age. The Chi-square test was applied to the cross-tabulation. The analyses were performed using SPSS®, version 25.0, with a 5% significance level. Results: 490 patients participated (242 cases and 248 controls). There was no difference between groups for the sex (p=0.966) and age (p=0.186). Only “kidney stone” was associated with the case group (p=0.001), being almost three times higher when compared to the control group. No significant differences were found in females about the presence or absence of PS (p&gt;0.05). Conclusion: In this research, it is suggested the existence of an association between kidney stones and the presence of pulp stones.

Radiographical examination of pulp stone distribution by cone beam computed tomography

Aims: The present study aimed to ascertain the association between pulp stone production and tooth type, jaw, arch orientation, and dental status in a Turkish subpopulation in the southern region of Turkiye by analyzing cone beam computed tomography images. Methods: The study included a retrospective examination of cone beam computed tomography images obtained at Gaziantep Private Dental Clinic and Gaziantep University Faculty of Dentistry between 2014 and 2020 for various purposes, and a recording of teeth with pulp calcification in the pulp chamber. The study did not include any teeth that had root canal therapy or porcelain crowns. Data was gathered from radiographs of people in the 19-90 age range. In all, 1676 teeth had pulp stones found in them. To compare proportions, two proportion z-tests were employed. Results: Male individuals possessed 774 teeth with pulp stones, while female individuals possessed 902 teeth with the same condition. The prevalence of pulp stones in first and second molar teeth (1092, 65.16%) is statistically farther than central and lateral incisors (238, 4.2%), canine (207, 12.35%) and premolar (139, 8.29%). The rate of pulp calcifications is statistically higher; in intact (1065, 63.54%) teeth compared to the teeth with filling materials (443, 26.43%) and teeth with caries (173, 10.32%); in the maxilla (874, 52.15%) compared to mandible (802, 47.85%). Pulp stone occurrence was higher on the right side (888, 52.98%) than on the left side (788, 47.02) (p

Radiographic Examination of Pulp Stone Prevalence in Patients Undergoing Head and Neck Radiotherapy

ABSTRACT Aim: To evaluate the prevalence of pulp stones in patients undergoing head and neck radiotherapy in comparison to healthy subjects. Materials and Methods: Patient records retrieved from the XXXXXX University Dentistry Faculty between the years 2014 and 2022 were selected. Panoramic images of oncologic patients exposed to head and neck radiation, as well as healthy subjects, were included in the study. Radiographies of patients with complicated systemic conditions, edentulous patients, and patients with full-mouth fixed bridges were excluded. The groups were arranged as equivalent to each other in terms of age and gender. The presence of pulp stones in the first and second molar teeth of 124 (Group Radiotherapy (n=62) and Group Control (n=62)) patients was radiographically assessed by two observers. The Chi-square test was employed for statistical analysis of the data. Results: The ratio of pulp stones was found to be significantly higher in the radiotherapy group (50%) (31) as compared to the control group (19.5%) (12) (p

Effect of Orthodontic Treatment on Endodontically Treated Teeth

ABSTRACT Background: This research has been conducted to assess the effect of orthodontic treatment on endodontically treated tooth. Materials and Methods: Overall, fifty subjects had been recruited. The participants received root canal therapy within 3 months as well as had an appointment for fixed orthodontic therapy. All candidates underwent an intraoral investigation. Radiographic evaluation as well as therapy planning were completed. Fixed orthodontic therapy had been initiated. All of the participants had been recalled. Endodontically restored teeth had been evaluated. All outcomes were assessed via Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Results: In this study, there were 25 males and 25 females. Pulp stones were seen in 15 subjects. Apical periodontitis was seen in nine subjects. Apical root resorption was seen in seven subjects, and enamel decalcification was seen in four subjects. Overall, 35 out of 50 subjects showed negative effects of orthodontic treatment on endodontically treated teeth. Conclusion: Excessive orthodontic force may result in increased pulp and peri-apical inflammation.

Pulp stones in unerupted teeth: a retrospective analysis using cone-beam computed tomography

BackgroundA pulp stone is a calcified mass that develops in the dental pulp of any tooth. Despite many studies examining the relationship between pulp stone formation and non-oral factors, the methods used in these studies have been unable to explain the exact role of these factors alone as distinct from probable effects within the oral cavity environment. Considering that totally unerupted (impacted or developing) teeth are unexposed to the oral cavity’s environmental and functional conditions, they provide a more suitable material for studying the effects of these non-oral factors on pulp stone formation. This research study aimed to investigate pulp stones in unerupted teeth and the associated factors in a Saudi subpopulation.MethodsThe study included 644 cone-beam computed tomography images, with 496 (50.9%) maxillary and 479 (49.1%) mandibular teeth. Of the investigated patients, 293 (45.5%) were men, and 351 (54.5%) were women. The age range was 15–76 years. A chi-square test was used to investigate the associations between pulp stones and age, gender, and history of systemic disease and chronic medication use.ResultsPulp stones in unerupted teeth were present in 24.2% of the examined dental jaws and 18.6% of the examined teeth. There was no statistically significant relationship between pulp stones and gender (p > 0.05). A significantly greater percentage of pulp stones were found with increasing age (p = 0.000). Additionally, a significantly increased number of pulp stones was observed in patients with systemic diseases and chronic medications (p < 0.05).ConclusionsThe results support the idea that pulp stones can be present in any type of unerupted tooth. This study provides additional evidence of the increased incidence of pulp stones with age, systemic disease, and chronic medications.

The prevalence and distribution of pulp stones: A cone-beam computed tomography study in a group of Turkish patients

Objective: This study aimed to assess the presence of pulp stones using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and correlate their prevalence with gender, age, dental arch and side, tooth type, and dental restoration in a group of Turkish patients. Material and methods: CBCT images of 148 patients were randomly selected from the database retrospectively and 3910 teeth are examined. The associations of pulp stones with gender, age, dental arch and side, tooth type, and presence of dental restoration were evaluated. Results: Pulp stones were observed in 69 of 148 (46.6%) patients and 230 (5.9%) of the 3,910 teeth examined. The prevalence of pulp stones was similar between the genders, age and arches. The most pulp stones were seen in the first molars (21.0%) and then in the second molars (12.8%) (p

The Detection of Pulp Stones with Automatic Deep Learning in Panoramic Radiographies: An AI Pilot Study.

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of employing a deep learning approach for the automated detection of pulp stones in panoramic imaging. A comprehensive dataset comprising 2409 panoramic radiography images (7564 labels) underwent labeling using the CranioCatch labeling program, developed in Eskişehir, Turkey. The dataset was stratified into three distinct subsets: training (n = 1929, 80% of the total), validation (n = 240, 10% of the total), and test (n = 240, 10% of the total) sets. To optimize the visual clarity of labeled regions, a 3 × 3 clash operation was applied to the images. The YOLOv5 architecture was employed for artificial intelligence modeling, yielding F1, sensitivity, and precision metrics of 0.7892, 0.8026, and 0.7762, respectively, during the evaluation of the test dataset. Among deep learning-based artificial intelligence algorithms applied to panoramic radiographs, the use of numerical identification for the detection of pulp stones has achieved remarkable success. It is expected that the success rates of training models will increase by using datasets consisting of a larger number of images. The use of artificial intelligence-supported clinical decision support system software has the potential to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of dentists.

Dental pulp stones and their correlation with metabolic diseases.

Dental pulp calcifications or pulp stones are calcified structures found in dental pulp, mostly around or enclosing a blood vessel. The formation of these calcifications begins with concentric layers of calcified tissue within which remnants of necrotic and calcified cells may be present. The calcifications of thrombi in blood vessels, called phleboliths, may also serve as nidi for denticles. In metabolic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension or poor periodontal health, there are obvious changes in blood vessels and vascularization. In our study, we observed histopathological sections of dental pulp and correlated systemic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension with poor periodontal health and dental pulp stones. The aim of our study was to evaluate the histopathology of dental pulp stones, their distribution among various age groups and sexes and to identify any correlations between pulp stone formation and systemic diseases such as type II diabetes and hypertension. Samples from 100 patients with metabolic diseases such as type II diabetes and hypertension were collected. The pulp was extirpated from the teeth that were undergoing root canal treatment, and the teeth were extracted. The collected pulp sample was fixed in 10% formaline neutral buffer, subjected to routine histopathological procedures and stained with haematoxylin and eosin. The pulp of teeth extracted for orthodontic treatment was considered a control for patients with no metabolic disease. There was a definite relationship between increased pulp stones and metabolic diseases such as type II diabetes and hypertension; likewise, poor periodontal health was significantly related to pulp stones.

Investigation of polymorphisms in BMP2, BMP4, SMAD6 and RUNX2 genes and pulp stones.

This study aimed to assess the association between genetic polymorphisms in BMP2 (rs1005464 and rs235768), BMP4 (rs17563), SMAD6 (rs2119261 and rs3934908) and RUNX2 (rs59983488 and rs1200425) and pulp stones (PS). A total of 117 participants, consisting of 63 individuals with PS and 54 without PS, were included. Digital radiographs and a demographic/clinical questionnaire were used. Genomic DNA from salivary cells was genotyped via real-time polymerase chain reaction. Statistical analyses, including Chi-Square, Fisher's exact tests, Poisson regression and dimensionality reduction, were conducted. The rs2119261 polymorphism in the SMAD6 gene showed an association with genotype distribution in the recessive model (p = 0.049). The T-T haplotype in the SMAD6 gene (rs2119261 and rs3934908) was more prevalent in the control group and significantly linked with PS (p = 0.029). No associations were found between PS risk and genetic polymorphisms in BMP2, BMP4 and RUNX2. Polymorphisms in the SMAD6 gene were associated with PS.

Denticles: dental pulp calculi

Denticles (pulp stones) are round to oval hard substance formations of various sizes that occur in the dental pulp or in the area of the pulpal dentin wall. They can occur free, without connection to the pulp wall (free denticles), fused to the pulp wall (adherent denticles) or embedded in the pulp wall (interstitial denticles).

Prevalence and Association of Calcified Pulp Stones with Periodontitis: A Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Study in Saudi Arabian Population

ABSTRACT This study aimed to identify the prevalence and association of periodontitis and pulp stone (PS) along with the clinical variables. This study assessed the cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) records to identify the presence of PS and clinical periodontitis records were used to determine the stages of periodontitis. The Chi-square test was used to evaluate the relationship between study parameters. Logistic regression was used to determine the association between PS and periodontitis. A total of 228 CBCT records were conveniently selected for this study based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Cohen’s kappa analysis showed near to perfect scores for both examiners. The Chi-square test showed that CBCT records from the age range 41–50 years, male patients, and stage II of periodontitis prevalently showed pulp stones; however, there were no significant differences observed between the PS and clinical variables. However, gender, involvement of tooth, and stages of periodontitis showed significant distribution of the PS. Logistic regression showed that the stages of periodontitis showed no significant association with PS in patients with periodontitis. Moreover, multivariate odds ratio adjustment did not alter the outcome. Periodontitis is not associated with the presence of PS in the current population.

Radiographic evaluation of teeth with pulp stones and pulp canal obliteration: characteristics, and associations with dental parameters

ABSTRACT The study aimed to radiographically assess the characteristics of pulp stones (PS) and pulp canal obliteration (PCO) in teeth and examined their associations with various dental parameters such as caries, restorations, periodontal status, and age. This cross-sectional observational study was conducted at the Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University between September 2022, and May 2023, involved 101 patients exhibiting 402 teeth with PS or PCO. Data were collected from periapical and bitewing radiographs, and analyzed by two calibrated dentists. Multiple dental parameters were assessed, including caries level, presence and level of restorations, periodontal condition, and age of the patient. The study population consisted of 62 females and 39 males, with an age range of 18–65 years. Inter- and intra-examiner reliability were high (Kappa = 0.88 and 0.98 respectively). PS were more commonly found in molars (81.2%), while PCO were presented in only 115 teeth (23%). Age significantly affected the type of calcification (p < 0.001), with PS more common in the 20–30 age group and PCO more common in individuals over 40. Presence of caries was significantly associated with the type of calcification (p = 0.013), but restoration was not. The majority of teeth with PS (76%) or PCO (93%) had healthy periodontium. Around 40% of teeth with PCO showed signs of periapical changes, a finding significantly different from those with PS (p < 0.001). Pulp calcifications were significantly associated with various dental parameters, including caries presence, age, and periodontal status. The findings provide crucial insights into the epidemiology and aetiology of pulp calcifications.

Cone-Beam Computed Tomography-Based Investigation of the Prevalence and Distribution of Pulp Stones and Their Relation to Local and Systemic Factors in the Makkah Population: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Objectives This study aimed to assess the prevalence and distribution of dental pulp stones and evaluated their possible associations with local and systemic factors in the Makkah populationin Saudi Arabia. Materials and methods Archived cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images for 390 patients, from the electronic health records (EHR) in the Dental Teaching Hospital, Umm Al-Qura University, were used. Images were examined in all planes (coronal, sagittal, and axial) for a discrete radiopaque mass in the pulp of all teeth, in both arches. The teeth conditions (the presence of caries, restoration, the periodontal condition, and the presence of pulp stones) were recorded. Additional patient information, including age, gender, and medical condition, was obtained from the patients' archived files. The collected data were statistically analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) (IBM SPSS Statistics, Armonk, NY) software; ap-value of ≤ 0.05 is considered statistically significant. Results Pulp stoneprevalence was 78.97% of the subjects (308 out of 390) and 15.92% of the examined teeth (1644 out of 10326). There were statistically significant differences regarding nationality (p=0.043) and age (p=0.023)but no significant difference between males and females (p=0.876), maxillary and mandibular teeth (p=0.392), and right and left sides (p=0.222) in pulp stone prevalence. Significant differences were found between pulp stone prevalence of sound versus and carious and restored teethand between periodontally affected teeth and periodontally healthy teeth (p=0.031). Conclusion The prevalence of pulp stones in the Makkah population is high. A positive association was found between nationality, age, tooth restorations, caries, periodontal diseases, and pulp stone prevalence, but no correlation was found with patients' healthor gender. The molars were the most affected teeth, while the incisors were the least.

Prevalence of Pulp Stones in the Population of Rajasthan: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Tertiary Care Hospital.

Introduction This study aimedto use radiography to determine the prevalence of pulp stones in thepopulation of Rajasthan and to evaluate the relationship between pulp stones and tooth status, type, age, and gender. Methods The radiograph data record files collected from the Department of Dentistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, from September 2018 to October 2019, had a total of 9918 diagnostic quality intraoral periapical radiographs. One examiner examined all the radiographs to identify pulp stones and associated factors. Pearson chi-square test of significance was used for statistical analysis. Results On screening, a total of 889 intraoral periapical radiographs were found to have pulp stones. The presence of pulp stones was significantly higher in mandibular molars (68%)and was more common in the age group of 31-45 years (37%), followed by 13-29 years (35%). Maximum of pulp stones were of attached type (64%) than free pulp stones. Conclusion The prevalence of pulp stones in the population of Rajasthan studied is 8.9%, which is much lower than the reported prevalence in the literature. Pulp stones are predominantly attachedand found significantly more often in mandibular molars in the age group of 31-44 years.

Pulp stones: any relevance with the levels of serum calcium, parathyroid hormone, vitamin D and uric acid.

This study evaluated the effect of serum calcium, parathyroid hormone (PTH), vitamin D, and uric acid levels on pulp stone formation. Patients who were admitted to the Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology for dental complaints were registered. Among these patients, individuals who had routine biochemical tests at the same period in the Outpatient Clinics of Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University Training and Research Hospital were included in the study. The patients with at least 1 pulp stone on panoramic radiographs recorded as the "pulp stone group" while patients without any pulp stones were the "control group". Demographic data and serum levels of calcium, PTH, vitamin D, and uric acid were retrospectively evaluated in both groups. Student t-test or Mann-Whitney U test was used to evaluate the differences between the groups. Among 151 patients, dental pulp stone was detected in 53.6% of patients, and 82.7% of these patients were female. Female sex and pulp stone formation were significantly associated (p = 0.001). The mean age of the pulp stone group was 43.9, while it was 39.9 in the control group, without any significant correlation between age and pulp stone (p > 0.05). Similarly, there were no significant differences in serum levels of PTH, vitamin D, uric acid and calcium between groups (p > 0.05). According to the present study, the effect of dental factors rather than systemic factors should be considered primarily in pulp stone formation.

Predictive Machine learning Models for necessity Supplemental Anesthesia in Endodontic treatment

Purpose: In cases of irreversible pulpitis, controlling intraoperative endodontic discomfort is extremely difficult, and patient satisfaction plays a big part in this. In order to forecast a diagnostic's and a treatment's outcome, machine learning (ML) has recently been implemented in the fields of medicine and dentistry. The goal of this work was to create machine learning (ML) models that could predict the need for further anesthesia. Methods: According to inclusion and exclusion criteria, this study included 128 individuals with endodontic discomfort. All patients underwent a clinical evaluation and endodontic diagnostic procedures. All interpretation results were entered into a prepared data sheet. All info were statistically evaluated using Github software version ydata-profilling vv4.1.2, configuration config.json, was employed to review the explanatory data for machine learning models for all examination and investigation aspects. By using Pearson correlation, chi 2, Random Forest, and LightGBM, the final feature importance was determined. 20% of the test set and 80% of the train set are observation sets used to build models. Logistic regression F1 and k-nearest neighbors (KNN) F1 were used to assess the performance of the ML model on the train and test sets. Results: For Machine learning models, 11 of the 20 features—such as pulp stone or calcification of the pulp space, pain duration, age, percussion, palpation, response persistent after EPT, dental history, curved root canal, pain persistent after a cold test, and pain severity during a cold test—were important. In logistic regression, F1 for the train set was 0.793, while for the test sets, it was 0.878. Regression using a logistic model had an accuracy of 0.81. KNN F1 for train was 0.781, while for test it was 0.829. The Machine learning model's k-nearest neighbors (KNN) F1 accuracy was 72.86. Conclusion: The trained machine learning models can predict if further anesthetic will be required during endodontic treatment based on the specific feature.

The prevalence of pulp stones in the Kurdish population as a diagnostic tool in endodontic prognosis using Digital Orthopantomograph

Background:Pulp stones (PSs) are calcified masses, found commonly in dental pulps of healthy, diseased, and even unerupted teeth.Objectives:Our study aims to determine the prevalence of PS in Kurdish adults using an orthopantomograph (OPG) and investigate the relationships between PSs with sex, age, tooth type, and dental arch/side.Patients and Methods:We examined 1,170 digital OPGs from Kurdish patients at the private Maxillofacial Radiology Center in Sulaimaniyah City, Iraq, were taken for various purposes between January and July 2023. A total of 31,598 teeth were examined to identify PSs. We collected patient data and determined correlations between the presence of PSs and various patient variables.Results:About 242 (20.68%) patients and 471 (1.49%) teeth had at least one stone. The prevalence of PS in the Kurdish population was 20.68% based on the total number of patients examined and it was 1.49% based on the total teeth examined. The PS frequently was found in those aged 45 years and more (50%) and the PS prevalence was higher in females (61%) than males (39%). The maxillary dental arches and molar teeth had the highest frequency of PS (p=0.000).Conclusions:In the Kurdish population, the prevalence of PSs was moderately high, particularly among females. PSs were most frequent in the maxillary arch and first molars, with incidence increasing with age.

Early diagnosis of aortic calcification through dental X-ray examination for dental pulp stones

Vascular calcification, an ectopic calcification exacerbated by aging and renal dysfunction, is closely associated with cardiovascular disease. However, early detection indicators are limited. This study focused on dental pulp stones, ectopic calcifications found in oral tissues that are easily identifiable on dental radiographs. Our investigation explored the frequency and timing of these calcifications in different locations and their relationship to aortic calcification. In cadavers, we examined the association between the frequency of dental pulp stones and aortic calcification, revealing a significant association. Notably, dental pulp stones appeared prior to aortic calcification. Using a rat model of hyperphosphatemia, we confirmed that dental pulp stones formed earlier than calcification in the aortic arch. Interestingly, there were very few instances of aortic calcification without dental pulp stones. Additionally, we conducted cell culture experiments with vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and dental pulp cells (DPCs) to explore the regulatory mechanism underlying high phosphate-mediated calcification. We found that DPCs produced calcification deposits more rapidly and exhibited a stronger augmentation of osteoblast differentiation markers compared with SMCs. In conclusion, the observation of dental pulp stones through X-ray examination during dental checkups could be a valuable method for early diagnosis of aortic calcification risk.