title: Vital pulp therapy for the primary dentition.
abstract: The goal of primary tooth pulp therapy is the preservation of the primary teeth until their normal time of exfoliation. Teeth with carious involvement approaching the pulp can be treated with a variety of approaches, including three pulpotomy techniques--diluted formocresol, ferric sulfate, and mineral trioxide aggregate--and an indirect pulp therapy technique. Accurate diagnosis of the vitality status of the pulp is critical to the success of each treatment and involves careful radiographic and clinical assessment of the teeth to make sure that they are either healthy or reversibly inflamed.
authors.affiliation: Baylor College of Dentistry, Texas A&M Health Science Center in Dallas, USA.
authors.forename: N Sue
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Seale
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Coll
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D019140:Dental Care for Children / Q000379:methods*; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D003737:Dental Cavity Preparation / Q000379:methods*; D003785:Dental Pulp Capping / Q000379:methods; D003790:Dental Pulp Necrosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004708:Endodontics / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D011670:Pulpectomy / Q000379:methods; D011672:Pulpotomy / Q000379:methods; D011859:Radiography; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery