Treatment of immature teeth with nonvital pulps in adults: a prospective comparative clinical study comparing MTA with Ca(OH).

AIM

To evaluate and compare the influence of various predictors on outcomes of apexification using either mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) or calcium hydroxide (CH) in permanent immature anterior teeth with necrotic pulps and periapical lesions of adults.

METHODOLOGY

Ninety immature teeth with necrotic pulps and periapical lesions on adult patients (aged 18-40 years) were treated with MTA (45 teeth) or CH (45 teeth) between 2015 and 2018. Patients of both groups were recalled for follow-up examinations after the first intervention at 1,3,6 and 12 months for the first year, every 6 months for the second year and every year thereafter until the end of the study (median 32.3 months). The treatment outcome based on clinical and radiographic criteria was assessed by calibrated examiners and dichotomized as 'healed+healing' or 'not healed'. The age, gender, stage of root development, preoperative signs and symptoms of apical periodontitis and size of periapical lesion were recorded. The cumulative success proportion and mean time were analysed with the Kaplan-Meier test. The generalized logrank statistic was used to describe prognostic clinical variables. Fisher's exact test was applied for the evaluation of the healing rates.

RESULTS

Thirty-nine of the 45 teeth treated with MTA were available for recall. Of these, 29 teeth (74%) revealed calcific apical barrier formation with complete resolution of periapical lesions, 7 teeth (18%) were healing, and 3 teeth (8%) had persistent disease. Thirty-four of the 45 teeth in the CH group were available for recall. Of these, 27 teeth (79%) had complete healing of periapical lesions and had calcific barrier formation, 4 teeth (12%) were healing, and the remaining 3 teeth (9%) had not healed. The survival rate of teeth treated with MTA was similar to the survival rates observed in teeth treated with CH (90% and 91%, respectively, P > 0.05). The generalized logrank statistic revealed that the cumulative success rate of both materials was not significantly different (P > 0.05). None of the tested predictors had an influence on the treatment outcomes of teeth in both groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Apexification with both MTA and CH was associated with similar treatment outcomes. MTA may be proposed as a material for apexification treatment in immature teeth of adult patients due to the shorter treatment time associated with its use.