Vital Pulp Therapy

Vital pulp therapy (VPT) is a potential alternative to root canal treatment (RC). VPT is a restorative dental procedure that aims to treat teeth with compromised dental pulp without the full removal or excavation of all healthy pulp tissue. It is commonly performed in primary dentition (also known as baby teeth), as primary dentition has not fully developed the apical root, but is less commonly performed in secondary dentition. VPT can include indirect or direct pulp capping (i.e., placement of a protective material over the pulp) and partial or full pulpotomy (i.e., removal of part or all of the coronal pulp). Dressings used in VPT can include resin modified glass ionomers, adhesive resins, calcium hydroxide (CaOH), mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA), and bioceramics.