Vital Pulp Therapy in Permanent Teeth

Abstract

This review article aimed to evaluate the outcome of vital pulp therapy procedures including indirect pulp capping (IDPC), direct pulp capping (DPC), miniature pulpotomy (MP), partial pulpotomy (PP) and full pulpotomy (FP) in permanent teeth even with signs of reversible and irreversible pulpitis. Instead of complete pulp tissue removal by pulpectomy, vital pulp therapy has been considered as an alternative approach. Articles published after 2000 were searched in PubMed and GoogleScholar online databases according to PRISMA guidelines. Forty articles were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Eighty-five cases from case series and case report studies and also results of 20 clinical articles were included in this study. The success rate of partial and full pulpotomy in permanent teeth with signs of reversible and irreversible pulpitis was 98.8%. The success rate for both partial and full pulpotomies with mineral trioxide aggregate and calcium silicate-based cements in the current review of clinical studies was 84.6%-100% and 78.9%-100%. Partial and full pulpotomies demonstrated favourable outcomes and a high success rate in treating permanent teeth. So the vital pulp therapy procedures in permanent teeth with signs of pulpitis can be more successful, cost-effective and time-saving compared to traditional root canal treatment. However further well-designed studies with longer follow-up periods are required to validate these findings.