Treatment of crown fractures with pulp exposure in primary incisors

The treatment options of enamel dentin crown fractures with pulpal exposure in the primary dentition traditionally consist of direct pulp capping, pulpotomy, pulpectomy, or extraction. Many clinicians disagree on the most appropriate treatment, and individual preferences exist within dentistry. Partial pulpotomy, also known as the Cvek pulpotomy, is a mode of treatment which is widely used in the permanent dentition but less so in primary teeth. This conservative technique is described and its advantages over the others are presented. In addition, a report of a case with a 2-year follow-up is also included. The purposes of this article are: (1) to present the indications and contraindications of the various treatment modalities for primary incisors with complicated crown fractures; and (2) to suggest partial pulpotomy as a conservative and more appropriate approach for primary incisors with complicated crown fracture.