title: Importance of the diagnosis in the pulpotomy of immature permanent teeth.
abstract: Pulpotomy is a conservative therapy performed to remove the inflamed coronal portion of the pulp and preserve the vitality of the remaining radicular pulp. This article reports two cases of immature permanent mandibular molars with clinical signs of pulp vitality and radiographic images of periapical bone rarefaction, which were treated with calcium hydroxide pulpotomy. In Case 1, pulpotomy was performed in a single session, while in Case 2 two sessions were required to complete the treatment. Clinical and radiographic follow up within 13 and 9 months, respectively, showed hard tissue barrier and new bone formation as well as progression of root development. These outcomes are confirmatory that an accurate clinical/radiographic assessment of pulp vitality is of paramount importance for the correct diagnosis and indication of pulpotomy in cases of young permanent teeth with incomplete root formation.
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, University of Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. ronaldoasouza@lognet.com.br
authors.forename: Ronaldo Araújo
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: Suely Colombo Nelli
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: João da Costa Pinto
authors.initials: Jda C
authors.lastname: Dantas
authors.forename: Yara Terezinha
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Silva-Sousa
authors.forename: Jesus Djalma
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Pécora
mesh_terms: D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D019229:Dentition, Permanent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible; D008963:Molar / Q000254:growth & development / Q000601:surgery*; D010483:Periapical Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D011672:Pulpotomy; D011859:Radiography; D012390:Root Canal Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome