Abstract
AIM: To assess the effectiveness of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) used as an indirect pulp-capping material in human molar and premolar teeth. METHODOLOGY: We conducted a clinical evaluation of 60 teeth, which underwent an indirect pulp-capping procedure with either MTA or calcium hydroxide cement (Dycal(®) ). Calcium hydroxide was compared with MTA and the thickness of the newly formed dentine was measured at regular time intervals. The follow-up was at 3 and 6 months, and dentine formation was monitored by radiological measurements on digitised images using Mesurim Pro(®) software. RESULTS: At 3 months, the clinical success rates of MTA and calcium hydroxide were 93% and 73%, respectively (P = 0.02). At 6 months, the success rate was 89.6% with MTA, and remained steady at 73% with calcium hydroxide (P = 0.63). The mean initial residual dentine thickness was 0.23 mm, and increased by 0.121 mm with MTA and by 0.136 mm with calcium hydroxide at 3 months. At 6 months, there was an increase of 0.235 mm with MTA and of 0.221 mm with calcium hydroxide. CONCLUSIONS: A higher success rate was observed in the MTA group relative to the Dycal(®) group after 3 months, which was statistically significant. After 6 months, no statistically significant difference was found in the dentine thickness between the two groups. Additional histological investigations are needed to support these findings.