Laser Assisted Pulpotomy Versus MTA Pulpotomy in Permanent Teeth With Irreversible Pulpitis

Overview

This study compares two methods used during full pulpotomy, a treatment for teeth with deep tooth decay that has exposed the dental pulp. In the first method, the dentist removes the affected pulp tissue using a high-speed dental bur and then controls the bleeding using a sodium hypochlorite solution. In the second method, the dentist also removes the affected pulp tissue using a high-speed dental bur, but a diode laser is used to control the bleeding. The laser may provide additional disinfection and achieve bleeding control more quickly. After treatment, participants will be monitored to assess their level of pain relief. They will also return for follow-up visits at 6 months and 12 months, when dental X-rays will be taken to evaluate the success of the treatment.

Vital pulp therapy (VPT) is a minimally invasive treatment that aims to preserve the vitality and function of the dental pulp after exposure caused by deep caries. Compared with root canal treatment, VPT preserves the remaining healthy pulp tissue, allowing the tooth to maintain its natural defense mechanisms and reparative capacity. Full pulpotomy has become an accepted treatment option for permanent teeth with carious pulp exposure when the radicular pulp is considered healthy and capable of healing. Clinical studies have demonstrated high success rates for full pulpotomy in appropriately selected cases. Successful pulpotomy depends on adequate removal of the inflamed coronal pulp tissue, effective control of pulpal bleeding, reduction of bacterial contamination, and placement of a suitable biocompatible pulp-capping material. Conventionally, hemostasis is achieved using sodium hypochlorite following removal of the coronal pulp tissue with a high-speed bur. Although this technique has demonstrated favorable outcomes, alternative methods that may improve hemostasis and enhance tissue healing continue to be investigated. Diode lasers have been increasingly used in dentistry for soft tissue procedures because of their ability to provide precise tissue interaction, coagulation, and effective hemostasis. In addition to controlling bleeding, diode lasers have antimicrobial properties and may promote wound healing through biostimulatory effects that support tissue repair and reparative dentin formation. These characteristics suggest that diode laser-assisted pulpotomy may offer clinical advantages over the conventional technique. Despite the increasing use of diode lasers in dentistry, clinical evidence regarding their use in full pulpotomy of permanent teeth with carious pulp exposure remains limited. Most published studies have evaluated diode laser pulpotomy in primary teeth or animal models, and randomized clinical trials in permanent teeth are lacking. This randomized clinical trial is designed to compare diode laser-assisted full pulpotomy with the conventional full pulpotomy technique in permanent teeth with carious pulp exposure. In both study groups, the coronal pulp tissue will be removed using a conventional high-speed bur. In the control group, hemostasis will be achieved using sodium hypochlorite. In the experimental group, a diode laser will be used to achieve hemostasis following pulp removal. The same pulp-capping material and definitive restoration protocol will be used in both groups to ensure that the method of achieving hemostasis is the primary variable under investigation. Participants will be evaluated for postoperative pain following treatment. Clinical and radiographic outcomes will be assessed at 6 and 12 months to determine treatment success. The study aims to determine whether diode laser-assisted full pulpotomy provides clinical and radiographic outcomes comparable to or better than those of the conventional technique.