One of my favorite things to teach in my online course “E-school” is MTA Vital Pulp Therapy. I believe that every dentist should know how to do this. It is such a service for your patients! It works really well on pediatric patients, but did you know that it can work for your adult patients, too?
Here is a classic example of when MTA Vital Pulp Therapy works best….
This patient is young, 12 years old, and has decay into the pulp and has no real symptoms. Her tooth responded normal to cold with no lingering pain and had no pain to percussion. To me, this is the ideal patient for MTA. A root canal is the last thing I want to do because I want to keep that pulp alive. Why? Do you remember from taking the National Boards…
Q: What is the function of the pulp?
A: To lay down dentin.
The pulp is responsible for forming the root and completing the closure of those apices, so keep it alive!
I got her numb and removed the temporary filling and right underneath, the pulp was exposed.
I obtained hemostasis with a cotton pellet soaked in sodium hypochlorite and placed my MTA right on top of the pulp.
I covered the MTA with Vitrebond (you can use TheraCal, too, whatever you’ve got).
Then restore as usual and take a final radiograph like you see here…
For me, follow up is key for cases like these. So she just came back for her 1 month check up…
Now, I know that I am not going to see much change in the root, but I want to make sure that she doesn’t have any symptoms. She still felt cold, which I want, and she has no pain to functioning. Next stop, her 6 month recall. At that time, I hope to see more root formation and a vital pulp.
If you want to learn more about MTA Vital Pulp Therapy and how to incorporate it into your practice, sign up for E-School, where I go over it in great detail so you can provide this procedure successfully in your practice. It is so easy to do!!
Talk soon,
Sonia
Dear sonia, I am very much indebted you for your valuable information. However I am not able to enroll for the e-course, considering the cost as i am from Sri Lanka. Anyway keep your blog open for people like us which is the only way that helps us to get valuable tips on endo.
Pradeep – I am so glad you found the blogs and they are bringing value to you! There are many more to come.
-Sonia
Thank you so much Sonia for great tips.
I routine do this treatment for my young patients and it worked so well.
Got to learn that we can use sodium chlorite for hemostasis, did not know that. Thanks once again!!!
I’m happy to share the tip, and thank you for following along!
-Sonia
Sonia- Which MTA product do you like best for cases like these?
Honestly, you can use just about anything. I grew up on the Dentpsly version, so I just keep using that. But use whatever is easiest for you.
-Sonia