Umbrella review demonstrates comparable success between mineral trioxide aggregate and biodentine for primary-tooth pulpotomy, indicating both are viable vital pulp therapy options.
Background/Objectives: Calcium-silicate-based materials, many of which are commonly classified as bioceramics, are increasingly used for pulpotomy in vital primary teeth. This umbrella review synthesized systematic reviews and meta-analyses evaluating their clinical and radiographic outcomes. Methods: Eligible reports were systematic reviews of human primary-tooth pulpotomy involving calcium-silicate-based materials and reporting clinical and/or radiographic outcomes. MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, and Scopus were searched from inception through June 2026. Methodological quality was appraised using AMSTAR-2, overlap was quantified using the Corrected Covered Area (CCA), and certainty was assessed using a GRADE-informed approach. Findings were integrated through structured narrative synthesis and review-level functional meta-synthesis. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420261338396). Results: Eleven systematic reviews were included, comprising 78 unique primary-study reports and 180 study occurrences; aggregate participant totals were not calculated because of primary-study overlap. AMSTAR-2 confidence ranged from critically low to moderate, and overlap was high (CCA 13.1%). MTA and Biodentine showed broadly comparable clinical and radiographic outcomes through 24 months. Evidence for Biodentine versus formocresol was less consistent: one meta-analysis reported more favorable radiographic outcomes with Biodentine; whereas, another found no substantial difference; clinical superiority was not consistently demonstrated. Comparisons with ferric sulfate were generally inconclusive, and evidence for newer calcium-silicate-based formulations remained limited. No material demonstrated sustained long-term superiority. Certainty was predominantly low, with very low certainty for several sparsely studied comparisons. Conclusions: Contemporary calcium-silicate-based materials show high clinical and radiographic success in vital primary-tooth pulpotomy, but comparative conclusions remain constrained by methodological limitations, high overlap, and limited certainty.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Ardila et al. (2026) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: