Pulpotomy of carious vital teeth with periapical involvement.

Twenty-six permanent vital molars with carious pulp exposures and periapical involvement presenting as radiolucencies or radiopacities on radiographic examination, in patients aged between 10-24 years, were treated using an atraumatic surgical technique with calcium hydroxide alone. The healing was evaluated using clinical and radiographic criteria: absence of clinical symptoms, sensitivity of the radicular pulp, formation of a hard tissue barrier in the exposed area, resolution of periapical involvement and no intraradicular pathosis radiographically. Assessed by these criteria, successful results were achieved in 24 teeth. The observation period following pulpotomy treatment was 16-72 months. The favourable results of this study demonstrate that pulpotomy treatment in teeth with cariously exposed vital pulps and with periapical involvement may be an alternative treatment to root canal therapy.