Different endodontic treatments induced root development of two nonvital immature teeth in the same patient: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Pulp revascularization is a novel way to treat immature teeth with periapical disease, and the technique has become increasingly well established in recent years. By puncturing the periapical tissue, bleeding is induced, and a blood clot is formed in the root canal. The blood clot acts as a natural bioscaffold onto which mesenchymal stem cells from periapical tissue can be seeded and restore pulp vascularity, thus promoting root development as well as apical closure. Although the effect of pulp revascularization is ideal, there are certain requirements for the apical condition of the teeth. The apical barrier technique and apexification are still indispensable for teeth that cannot achieve ideal blood clot formation. In addition, a meta-analysis of several clinical studies concluded that pulp revascularization has no significant advantages over other treatments.

CASE SUMMARY: A 10-year-old girl complained of pain in the right upper and lower posterior teeth for 2 d. Clinical and radiological examinations revealed that both the right maxillary and mandibular second premolars were immature with periapical radiolucency. The right maxillary second premolar was treated by pulp revascularization, while the right mandibular second premolar was treated by conventional apical barrier surgery after revascularization failed. The purpose of this report is to compare the different root maturation processes induced by the pulp revascularization and apical barrier techniques in the same patient in homonymous teeth from different jaws. Twelve months of follow-up showed that the apical foramen of both teeth presented a clear tendency to close; however, the tooth treated with pulp revascularization showed a significant increase in root length as well as root canal wall thickness.

CONCLUSION: For the treatment of nonvital immature teeth, pulp revascularization showed a superior therapeutic effect in comparison with the apical barrier technique.