Discuss the Rationale for Minimally Invasive Endodontics and the Merits and Demerits of the Concept

Minimally invasive endodontics (MIE) places emphasis on the conservation of sound tooth structure and viable pulp tissue during endodontic procedures such as root canal treatment (RCTx) and vital pulp therapy (VPT). The use of minimal access cavity designs and conservative canal preparation dimensions have been investigated as a way to improve the structural prognosis of endodontically-treated teeth, while VPT has gained popularity in recent years as a conservative alternative to RCTx in vital teeth. In this paper, the positive and negative impacts of MIE techniques on fracture resistance and root canal disinfection respectively in the current literature will be explored, with an emphasis on critical analysis of study methodologies, transferability of results to clinical practice and case selection guidelines for MIE techniques. Similarly, the evidence for the use of VPT as a treatment modality in MIE will also be explored.