Indirect and Direct Pulp Therapy in Primary Second Molars

January 26, 2026 updated by: Ozlem Beren SATILMIS, Ankara University

Clinical and Radiographic Comparison of Indirect Pulp Treatment and Direct Pulp Capping in Deep Carious Primary Second Molars: One-Year Results

The purpose of this randomized controlled clinical trial was to compare the clinical and radiographic outcomes of indirect pulp treatment (IPT) and direct pulp capping (DPC) using mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) in deep carious primary molars. Children with deep dentin caries in primary molars were randomly assigned to receive either IPT or DPC. Clinical and radiographic evaluations were performed at 6 and 12 months to assess treatment success. The findings of this study aim to provide evidence-based guidance for the management of deep dentin caries in primary teeth.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
45

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Ankara
      • Ankara, Ankara, Turkey (Türkiye)
        • Ankara University Faculty of Dentistry

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Systemically healthy children aged 7 to 9 years
  • Primary second molars with deep dentin caries indicated for vital pulp therapy
  • Absence of clinical signs or symptoms of irreversible pulpitis
  • No spontaneous or prolonged pain
  • Teeth with no tenderness to percussion or palpation
  • No pathological mobility, swelling, fistula, or abscess
  • Radiographic findings showing intact lamina dura and normal periodontal ligament space
  • Absence of periapical or furcation radiolucency
  • No evidence of pathological internal or external root resorption
  • Teeth considered restorable
  • Written informed consent obtained from parents

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Children with systemic diseases or medical conditions affecting healing
  • Teeth with signs or symptoms of irreversible pulpitis
  • Presence of spontaneous pain, night pain, or prolonged pain
  • Teeth with periapical or furcation radiolucency
  • Teeth with pathological internal or external root resorption
  • Presence of pulpal calcifications or pulp stones
  • Non-restorable teeth
  • Lack of parental consent

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Indirect Pulp Treatment (IPT)
Teeth allocated to this arm received indirect pulp treatment. Selective caries removal was performed, leaving affected dentin over the pulp, followed by placement of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and restoration with a stainless steel crown (SSC).
Procedure: Indirect Pulp Treatment
Selective caries removal was performed, leaving affected dentin over the pulp. Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) was placed, followed by restoration with a stainless steel crown (SSC).
Experimental: Direct Pulp Capping (DPC)
Teeth allocated to this arm received direct pulp capping. After <1 mm pulp exposure, mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) was placed directly over the exposed pulp tissue, followed by restoration with a stainless steel crown (SSC).
Procedure: Direct Pulp Capping
After <1 mm pulp exposure, mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) was placed directly over the exposed pulp tissue, followed by restoration with a stainless steel crown (SSC).

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Clinical success of indirect pulp treatment and direct pulp capping
Time Frame: 12 months
Clinical success was defined as the absence of spontaneous pain, swelling, fistula, pathological mobility, or tenderness to percussion.
12 months
Radiographic success of indirect pulp treatment and direct pulp capping
Time Frame: 12 months
Radiographic success was defined as the absence of periapical radiolucency, internal or external root resorption, pathological changes, or other radiographic signs of pulpal or periapical pathology during the follow-up period.
12 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Effect of pulp exposure location on treatment success
Time Frame: 12 months
The location of pulp exposure (occlusal or proximal) was recorded and its association with clinical and radiographic success of vital pulp therapy was evaluated.
12 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Ankara University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
April 30, 2019

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
April 30, 2020

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 30, 2020

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
January 26, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 26, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
February 2, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
February 2, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 26, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 07/07

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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