When Should Direct Pulp Capping or Pulpotomy Be Preferred In Deciduous Teeth

Dental caries is a serious health problem with too high prevalence among children. It can affect the pulp and lead to infection, fistulas, abscesses, and premature tooth loss. The main purpose of pulp treatment in the primary teeth is to maintain health of teeth and oral tissues, thus, preserving functions of orofacial complex, such as chewing, speaking, and to keep primary teeth in position to maintain the arch size until the permanent teeth erupt. Contemporary pediatric dentistry seeks new materials and strategies to stimulate the regenerative ability of dental tissues. Dentists must be aware of the most suitable treatment choices to keep pulp tissue vitality. Vital pulp therapies (VPT) consist of indirect pulp capping, direct pulp capping, and pulpotomy for the treatment of deep carious lesions in teeth without a history of pain or with reversible pulpitis. VPT is used to treat reversible pulpal inflammation and maintain vitality and functionality of the pulp. Due to its high internal resorption and failure rate, direct pulp capping is still a controversial treatment choice for deep carious lesions. In this review, studies on direct pulp capping and pulpotomy treatments of VPT in primary teeth are presented together.