When deciding on an endodontic-restorative plan for a tooth, one should always keep in mind the age of the dental pulp (i.e. patient’s age). Younger dental pulp = more cellular, vascular, defensive and therefore resilient.  This fact can help us decide on a more appropriate and conservative treatment for a tooth when facing pulp exposure as a result of trauma or caries excavation.

Vital Pulp Therapy (VPT) techniques is attempted in order to remove the reversible pulpal injury, to preserve the vitality of the pulp and to ultimately allow continued root/tooth growth. The MTA pulpotomy technique comprises:

1. good isolation
2. complete caries removal
3. disinfection of the access cavity with NaOCl
4. stopping the bleeding with a moist cotton pellet
5. applying pulp capping material such as ProRoot® MTA or Biodentine™, and 
6. restoring the access cavity with permanent restoration

In the above case Direct Pulp Capping with MTA, irrespective of the size of carious exposure, was performed because this 13 year-old patient presented with non-lingering, non-spontaneous and reversible pulpitis symptoms.  In addition, carious exposure resulted in fresh bleeding from pulp horns that could be stopped with applying moist cotton pellet.  If a patient presents with irreversible pulpitis symptoms, other VPT techniques should be considered.

carious exposure immature roots MTA pulpotomy Open apex pulp capping vital pulp therapy