Bacterial cellulose–enhanced MTA versus conventional MTA for indirect pulp capping in primary teeth: a randomized controlled clinical trial

This randomized controlled trial aimed to compare the clinical and radiographic success rates of bacterial cellulose-reinforced MTA (BC-MTA) and conventional MTA in indirect pulp capping (IPT) treatment of primary teeth. A total of 40 primary molars diagnosed for IPT were randomly allocated into two groups: Group I (BC-MTA, n = 20) and Group II (Conventional MTA, n = 20). IPT procedures were carried out under aseptic conditions following local anesthesia, and teeth were restored with glass ionomer cement (GIC). Follow-up evaluations were performed clinically and radiographically at 3 and 9 months postoperatively. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 20, applying descriptive statistics, Chi-square, and independent t-tests (p < 0.05). At the end of 9 months, 75% of cases reported complete pain relief. Internal root resorption was observed in two teeth in Group I. Overall success rates at 9 months were 88.23% for BC-MTA and 100% for conventional MTA. Both BC-MTA and MTA showed favorable and comparable outcomes in IPT of primary teeth. While BC-MTA demonstrates potential due to its biocompatibility and improved handling characteristics, further studies are needed to validate its long-term clinical efficacy.Trial Registration: Ethical clearance was granted by SRM University IEC (SRMIEC-ST0323-442) and registered retrospectively in CTRI (CTRI/2024/12/077670).