PULPOTOMY OF CARIOUS VITAL TEETH WITH PERIAPICAL INVOLVEMENT

Twenty-six permanent vital molars with carious pulp exposures and peri apical involvement presenting as radiolucencies or radiopacities on ra diographic examination, in patients aged between 10-24 years, were tre ated using an atraumatic surgical technique with calcium hydroxide alo ne. The healing was evaluated using clinical and radiographic criteria : absence of clinical symptoms, sensitivity of the radicular pulp, for mation of a hard tissue barrier in the exposed area, resolution of per iapical involvement and no intraradicular pathosis radiographically. A ssessed by these criteria, successful results were achieved in 24 teet h. The observation period following pulpotomy treatment was 16-72 mont hs. The favourable results of this study demonstrate that pulpotomy tr eatment in teeth with cariously exposed vital pulps and with periapica l involvement may be an alternative treatment to root canal therapy.