title: Outcomes of MTA as root-end filling in endodontic surgery: a systematic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the clinical outcomes of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) used as root-end filling with other materials in endodontic surgery to determine which modality offers more favorable outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A computerized literature search was performed in the Cochrane Library (1993-2009), MEDLINE (1993-2009), EMBASE (1993-2009), Science Citation Index (SCI) (1993-2009), Chinese Biomedicine Database (1993-2009), and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) (1993-2009) to collect randomized controlled trials and quasi-controlled trials comparing MTA with other materials or placebo. The Cochrane Collaboration's RevMan5 software was used for data analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five studies involving MTA and three other materials were included. No statistically significant difference was found in the clinical effectiveness of MTA and intermediate restorative material (IRM), with relative risk (RR) 0.62 and 95% CI 0.34 to 1.16. A statistically significant difference exists between MTA and amalgam in terms of outcome, with RR 0.35 and 95% CI 0.13 to 0.94. The difference between the gutta-percha and the MTA groups was statistically significant, with RR 0.08 and 95% CI 0.01 to 0.57.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MTA as root-end filling is better than amalgam and purely gutta-percha but similar to IRM. There is a limited number of well-designed clinical trials within this research area. Further high-quality, large-scale, and long-term follow-up randomized controlled trials are still required to confirm the long-term outcomes of MTA as root-end filling in endodontic surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, West China School of Dentistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu.
authors.forename: Yin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Xiaoting
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shihai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yin
mesh_terms: D017607:Aluminum Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001047:Apicoectomy / Q000379:methods; D017610:Calcium Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018849:Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006801:Humans; D010087:Oxides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010919:Placebos; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012184:Retrograde Obturation / Q000379:methods*; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017640:Silicates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D017607:Aluminum Compounds; D017610:Calcium Compounds; D004338:Drug Combinations; D010087:Oxides; D010919:Placebos; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials; D017640:Silicates; C086631:mineral trioxide aggregate