Clinical guidelines for vital pulp therapy

Vital pulp therapy is a minimally invasive procedure designed to preserve the dental pulp when it is affected by dental caries, trauma, restorative procedures or dental anomalies. The treatment can be completed in both asymptomatic and symptomatic teeth, including those diagnosed with reversible or irreversible pulpitis. Teeth with necrotic pulps should be treated by root canal treatment, otherwise they may have to be extracted. The type of intervention to be used can vary from a direct pulp cap to a pulpotomy depending on the extent of affected tissue and level of inflammatory response; thus, depending on the amount of pulp tissue to be preserved. Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) is recommended for use as a pulp capping or pulpotomy agent or alternatively, another pure calcium silicate cement (CSC) may be used, not combined with any resin or resin-modified material. Keywords: calcium silicate cement (CSC), clinical guidelines, mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA), pulp capping, pulpotomy, vital pulp therapy