RESUMEN
Objective@#To compare the efficacy of two bioceramic materials, iRoot BP Plus and mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) in the preservation of vital pulp of mature permanent teeth with exposed pulp of caries origin, so as to provide insights into appropriate selection of pulp capping agents in clinical process.@*Methods@#Vital pulp therapy were performed on 120 mature permanent teeth with carious exposure at the Department of Stomatology of Hangzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University. The teeth were randomly divided into two groups which were treated respectively by iRoot BP Plus (iRoot group) and MTA (MTA group). The clinical efficacy was evaluated by clinical examinations and imaging examinations.@*Results@#There were 60 cases in iRoot group, including 23 males and 37 females, 27 cases affected premolars and 33 cases affected molars, and 8 cases of Class I and 52 cases of Class II cavity type, with a median age of 41 (interquartile range, 12) years. There were 60 cases in MTA group, including 29 males and 31 females, 21 cases affected premolars and 39 cases affected molars, and 10 cases of Class I and 50 cases of Class II cavity type, with a median age of 39 (interquartile range, 14) years. There were no significant differences in gender, age, affected tooth location and cavity type between the two groups (P>0.05). The success rate of iRoot group at 12 months was 91.67% while the MTA group was 88.33%, and the pulp infection rate of iRoot group at 12 months was 8.33% while the MTA group was 11.67%. There were no significant differences in success rate and pulp infection rate between the two groups (P>0.05). The rate of crown discoloration in MTA group was 61.67%, while there was no discoloration in iRoot group.@*Conclusions@#During 12 months, iRoot BP Plus and MTA can both achieve great effects in the treatment of mature permanent teeth with carious pulp exposure, but there is a problem of tooth discoloration after pulp covering using MTA. The long-term clinical effects of the two materials need to be further studied.