Mineral trioxide aggregate pulpotomies: a case series outcomes assessment.
BACKGROUND
The greatest threats to developing teeth are dental caries and traumatic injury. A primary goal of all restorative treatment is to maintain pulp vitality so that normal root development or apexogenesis can occur. If pulpal exposure occurs, then a pulpotomy procedure aims to preserve pulp vitality to allow for normal root development. Historically, calcium hydroxide has been the material of choice for pulpotomy procedures. Recently, an alternative material called mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) has demonstrated the ability to induce hard-tissue formation in pulpal tissue. The authors describe the clinical and radiographic outcome of a series of cases involving the use of MTA in pulpotomy procedures.


METHODS
Twenty-three cases in 18 patients were treated with MTA pulpotomy procedures in an endodontic private practice. All of the patients had been referred to the practice for diagnosis and treatment of a symptomatic tooth. All of the authors provided treatment. Pulpal exposures were either due to caries or complicated enamel dentin fractures.


RESULTS
Nineteen teeth in 14 patients were available for recall. The mean time of recall was 19.7 months. Of the 19 cases, 15 involved healed teeth, and three involved teeth that were healing. One of 19 cases involved a tooth with persistent disease.


CONCLUSIONS
MTA may be useful as a substitute for calcium hydroxide in pulpotomy procedures. Further research, however, is required to clarify this conclusion.


CONCLUSIONS
MTA conceivably could replace calcium hydroxide as the material of choice for pulpotomy procedures, if future research continues to show promising results.
Witherspoon
David E
DE
North Texas Endodontic Associates, Plano 75023, USA. dewspoon@ntendo.com
Small
Joel C
JC
Harris
Gary Z
GZ
D000293:Adolescent; D017607:Aluminum Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017610:Calcium Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000150:complications; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000293:injuries; D003764:Dental Materials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects; D003785:Dental Pulp Capping; D003789:Dental Pulp Exposure / Q000628:therapy; D003804:Dentin / Q000293:injuries; D003809:Dentin, Secondary / Q000187:drug effects; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000473:pathology; D008963:Molar / Q000473:pathology; D010087:Oxides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011671:Pulpitis / Q000628:therapy; D011672:Pulpotomy; D011859:Radiography; D017640:Silicates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014082:Tooth Fractures / Q000150:complications; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects
D017607:Aluminum Compounds; D017610:Calcium Compounds; D003764:Dental Materials; D004338:Drug Combinations; D010087:Oxides; D017640:Silicates; C086631:mineral trioxide aggregate