Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) was first described in the dental scientific literature in 1993. Ever since it has been widely used for a number of applications in the field of dentistry. The aim of this literature review is to update previously published information and present a comprehensive list of articles from Nov 1993 to Dec 2010 regarding the biological properties, clinical applications and drawbacks of MTA. Keywords: biological properties, mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA), perforations, pulp capping