Top-cited articles on vital pulp therapy for irreversible pulpitis in permanent teeth: a bibliometric analysis

Vital pulp therapies (VPTs) have emerged as a potential alternative to nonsurgical root canal treatment (RCT) for irreversible pulpitis (IP) in permanent teeth. Although many studies explored VPT efficacy, no bibliometric analysis has focused on this topic. A systematic Web of Science search (May 29, 2025) identified 319 eligible articles using keywords related to VPTs and IP. Only full-length articles published in English and indexed within the Dentistry, Oral Surgery, and Medicine categories were included, while dissertations, conference papers, editorials, letters, retracted publications, and articles with unspecified document types were excluded. The 50 most-cited papers were analyzed for citations, authorship, institutions, countries, keywords, and study design. Data were processed with SPSS and VOSviewer. The top 50 most-cited articles accumulated 3,869 citations. The most-cited article (356 citations) was the European Society of Endodontology's position statement (2019). A significant increase in publications occurred after 2015, with peak outputs in 2019 and 2022. Most studies were clinical trials, mainly randomized, followed by non-randomized and observational studies. Iran, the USA, Jordan, India, and Ireland were leading contributor countries, with Shahid Beheshti University, Jordan University of Science and Technology, and Dublin Dental University Hospital standing out as key institutions. Author analysis revealed that Asgary S, Taha NA, and Duncan HF were among the most influential researchers. Keyword mapping showed "pulpotomy" as the dominant focus, followed by "pulpitis" and "irreversible pulpitis." There is growing scientific interest in VPTs for IP, though more high-level evidence is needed. This analysis identifies current research patterns and gaps to guide future investigations.