Clinical and radiographic assessment of mineral trioxide aggregate with platelet rich fibrin as pulp capping biomaterials: a 12-month randomized trial

This study aimed to comparatively assess the clinical success and radiographic regenerative dentin formation of Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF) and mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) when used as direct pulp capping agents. This double-blinded two parallel armed randomized controlled clinical trial comprised the allocation of 108 patients with traumatically exposed dental pulp during the management of deep carious lesions by undergraduate students after fulfilling inclusion and exclusion criteria. Patients were randomized into two groups (n = 54 in each group) using computer-generated simple randomization, wherein one group Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF) was prepared from patients' blood samples and applied directly over exposed pulp followed by MTA application and in the other group MTA was applied directly over pulp exposure. In both groups, cavities were restored with resin-modified glass ionomer liner and resin composite restoration. The overall success of treatment was calculated at 6 and 12 months after assessing pulp sensibility, history of pain, tenderness on percussion and the existence of any periapical pathosis using in periapical radiographs. Moreover CBCT was used at 12 months to determine the presence or absence of dentin bridge as a secondary outcome. After 12 months follow-up, there was no statistically significant difference in overall success of pulp capping in both groups. As the both groups showed 92.59% success rate. CBCT evaluation of dentin bridge formation by Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF) demonstrated a significantly higher percentage than that formed in cases treated with MTA alone (p < 0.001). Direct pulp capping with Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF) exhibited a clinical and radiographic success rate comparable to that of MTA. Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF) can be implemented as a direct pulp capping agent in forthcoming clinical applications.