title: Comparative evaluation of platelet-rich fibrin, mineral trioxide aggregate, and calcium hydroxide as pulpotomy agents in permanent molars with irreversible pulpitis: A randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pulpotomy has been proposed as an alternative for the management of irreversible pulpitis in permanent molars with closed apices.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the performances of calcium hydroxide (CH), mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA), and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) as pulpotomy agents in mature permanent molars with irreversible pulpitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-four permanent mandibular molars with carious exposure and symptoms of irreversible pulpitis were randomly allocated to three groups, and full pulpotomy was performed using CH,MTA, or PRF as pulpotomy agents. Pain intensity was recorded using numeric rating scale score at baseline, 24 h, 7 days, 6 months, and 1 year. Clinical and radiographic assessments were done at 6 months and 1 year.
  
  
  METHODS
  Kruskal-Wallis test and Friedman test were used for intergroup and intragroup comparison of pain scores, respectively. The radiographic outcomes between the three study arms were compared using Chi-square test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clinical success rate was 94.4% at 7 days, which dropped to 85.4% at 12 months. All three agents were equally effective in providing pain relief at all the intervals tested, with no significant difference between them (P> 0.05 at all intervals). However, at 6 months and 12 months, 26.2% and 52.4% teeth depicted slight widening of periodontal ligament space. No significant difference was observed between the radiographic success rates observed with the three groups (P= 0.135 at 6 months, 0.717 at 12 months).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pulpotomy exhibited a high clinical success rate in mature molars with irreversible pulpitis and selection of biomaterial did not affect its outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Post Graduate Institute of Dental Sciences, Rohtak, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Varun
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Post Graduate Institute of Dental Sciences, Rohtak, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Ruchi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Juneja
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Post Graduate Institute of Dental Sciences, Rohtak, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Jigyasa
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Duhan
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Post Graduate Institute of Dental Sciences, Rohtak, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Pankaj
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sangwan
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Post Graduate Institute of Dental Sciences, Rohtak, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tewari
keywords: Calcium hydroxide; irreversible pulpitis; mineral trioxide aggregate; platelet-rich fibrin; pulpotomy