Calcium hydroxide vs mineral trioxide aggregates for partial pulpotomy of permanent molars with deep caries

To prospectively compare the clinical success rate of partial pulpotomy treatment in permanent molars using calcium hydroxide (CH) and mineral trioxide aggregates (MTA) as pulp dressing agents.

Restorable permanent first molars (64) with carious pulp exposures were randomly assigned to two groups; CH and MTA. A standardized operative procedure was followed in both groups. Following isolation and caries removal, the exposed superficial pulp tissue layers were removed with a sterile flame shape diamond bur to a depth of 2-4 mm. Bleeding was controlled and pulp dressed with either a paste of non-setting Ca(OH)2 followed by a setting layer of Ca(OH)2, or with grey MTA. The dressing materials in both groups were then covered with a layer of light cured glass ionomer cement. The teeth were either restored using amalgam, or where grossly carious with preformed metal crowns. Patients were scheduled for follow-up at 3, 6, 12 months and annually thereafter.

There were 34 patients (17 males and 17 females) with 51 teeth available for evaluation. The age of patients at the time of restoration ranged between 6.8 to 13.3 years (mean of 10.3 +/- 1.8 years). The follow-up period ranged from 25.4 to 45.6 months with an average of 34.8 +/- 4.4 months. There was no statistically significant difference in the success rate of teeth treated with CH (91%) in comparison to teeth treated with MTA (93%). Radiographically, a hard tissue barrier under CH was noticed in 12 (55%) teeth compared with 18 (64%) teeth under MTA (p=0.4).

MTA has clinical success rate comparable to CH as a pulp dressing material for partial pulpotomy in permanent molars with carious exposures.