To provide a carious tooth structure recovery agent that has convenience to treat multiple teeth at once, has aesthetics without discoloration of the treated area, and is capable of performing the preventive care for root surface caries and the initial caries treatment, and the carious tooth structure recovery agent contains a compound (a) having an acidic group represented by the following formula (I): R.sup.1X (I) (in which R.sup.1 represents an organic group having 40 or less carbon atoms that has or does not have at least one (meth)acryloyloxy group, and X represents an acidic group), a zinc ion (b1), water (c), and a hydrophilic solvent (d), and substantially does not contain a crosslinkable polymerizable monomer.

A method of vital pulp therapy with a bioactive capping material. The method includes drilling into a pulp of a tooth having decay to form a hole, then excavating infected pulp from the hole. The bioactive capping material is prepared by mixing glass ionomer cement (GIC) and potassium nitrate (KNO.sub.3) with a solvent. The method further includes covering healthy pulp in the tooth with the bioactive capping material and curing the bioactive capping material to form a cured capping material. The bioactive capping material includes KNO.sub.3 in an amount of 1 to 10 percent by weight (wt. %) based on the weight of the capping material.

A method of vital pulp therapy with a bioactive capping material. The method includes drilling into a pulp of a tooth having decay to form a hole, then excavating infected pulp from the hole. The bioactive capping material is prepared by mixing glass ionomer cement (GIC) and potassium nitrate (KNO.sub.3) with a solvent. The method further includes covering healthy pulp in the tooth with the bioactive capping material and curing the bioactive capping material to form a cured capping material. The bioactive capping material includes KNO.sub.3 in an amount of 1 to 10 percent by weight (wt. %) based on the weight of the capping material.