Direct pulp cap — indicated for:

Correct answer: C. A tooth with no history of spontaneous pain (vital exposure without symptoms)

• A. Larger traumatic exposures (especially with contamination/time delay) are less favorable candidates for direct pulp capping; smaller, recent, clean exposures have better prognosis.
• B. Deep carious exposures involving bacterial contamination generally have a worse prognosis for direct pulp capping compared to clean traumatic exposures, and a history of spontaneous pain would further contraindicate it.
• C. Correct. Direct pulp capping is indicated for a small, clean pulp exposure in a tooth with a healthy/asymptomatic pulpal history (no spontaneous pain), offering the best prognosis for pulpal healing.