Tratamiento expectante en molar permanente joven. Reporte de caso.

Abstract

Abstract. Dental caries is one of the main reasons to perform root canal treatments; however there are procedures to protect the pulp in case of deep caries lesions. During caries removal pulp tissue could be exposed, so stepwise excavation is one procedure which will be effective in pulp preservation. Stepwise excavation consists of two stages, its purpose is stop caries progression, change cariogenic environment and allow the pulp recover generating reparative dentine to avoid pulp exposure in a second visit. Below we describe the management of deep carious lesions in a young permanent molar treated with stepwise excavation. A 15-year-old female patient with cause pain due to thermal changes in second inferior left molar, X-Rays revealed deep caries lesion, R4 Pitts´s classification, no signs of apical radiolucency or widening of the periodontal ligament space. Presents positive response to sensibility test with cold so Reversible Pulpitis is diagnosed, because of these findings it was decided to keep pulp vitality and perform stepwise excavation. This procedure consists in two phases: the first one is taking out the caries lesion from walls and floor, leaving affected dentin and placed calcium hidroxyde paste over, followed by a temporal restoration with glass ionomer. The second phase is six months later, once pulp vitality is confirmed and dentinal bridge is formed, so the cavity is reopened and definitive restoration is placed with composite resin. Two subsequent check-ups were carried out, the first one 12 months after stepwise excavation had been performed and the second control was 60 months later, clinical and radiographic controls were performed in both controls and no pathology was found considering the treatment as effective.