Indirect pulp treatment in primary teeth: 4-year results

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Dentistry
• Dental Materials Science
• Caries Management

Background:

• Indirect pulp treatment (IPT) is a conservative approach for managing deep carious lesions in primary teeth.
• Assessing long-term outcomes of different capping materials is crucial for clinical decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the clinical and radiographic effectiveness of a self-etching adhesive system versus calcium hydroxide as capping agents in IPT for primary molars.
• To evaluate outcomes up to 60 months of function.

Main Methods:

• Primary molars with deep caries and no irreversible pulpitis signs were randomized into two groups.
• Group 1: Capped with Clearfil SE Bond (self-etching adhesive).
• Group 2: Capped with Dycal (calcium hydroxide). Both groups restored with resin composite and monitored long-term.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant difference in outcomes between the self-etching adhesive and calcium hydroxide groups (P=0.514).
• Overall success rate for indirect pulp treatment was 78%.
• Treatment failures were observed after the first year follow-up.

Conclusions:

• Both self-etching adhesive systems and calcium hydroxide are effective for indirect pulp treatment in primary molars.
• Long-term success of IPT is achievable, but monitoring is essential, particularly beyond the first year.