Apical barrier technique with mineral trioxide aggregate using internal matrix: a case report.

Apexification is a procedure well recognized and accepted by clinicians and researchers alike. Calcium hydroxide has long been used as an apexification material. The newly developed mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) has also been shown to be effective in artificial root-end closure. The major problem in cases of a wide open apex is the need to limit the apexification material at the apex, thus avoiding the extrusion of a large amount of material into the periodontal tissue. The use of a matrix is advisable because its placement in the area of bone destruction provides a base on which the sealing material, especially MTA, can be placed and packed. This article presents a case report in which an internal matrix was formed using absorbable collagen sponge to provide a base for MTA placement at the apex.