Repair of root perforations using mineral trioxide aggregate: a long-term study.

Root perforations adversely affect the prognosis of teeth. Inadequacy of the repair materials has been a contributing factor to the poor outcome of repair procedures. Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) is a relatively new material that is being successfully used to repair perforations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the success rate of root perforation repairs using MTA. A list of all of the perforation repairs completed with MTA at an endodontic residency program was obtained. Sixteen cases were included that met the criteria for this study. Pretreatment, immediate posttreatment, and at least 1 year follow-up radiographs were evaluated in a double-blind manner to determine the presence or absence of any pathologic changes adjacent to the perforation site. The results showed that all 16 cases demonstrated normal tissue architecture adjacent to the repair site at the recall visit. Teeth with existing lesions showed resolution of the lesion, and teeth without preoperative lesions continued to demonstrate absence of lesion formation at the follow-up visit. Based on the results of this study, MTA provides an effective seal of root perforations and shows promise in improving the prognosis of perforated teeth that would otherwise be compromised.