(TC05) Clinical demands and future directions for vital pulp therapy in an endodontic clinic

The current interest and clinical demand for vital pulp therapy (VPT) is growing as more evidence supports its success in managing cases of reversible and irreversible pulpitis. VPT offers a more conservative approach that preserves pulp vitality, while the patients benefit from lower costs, shorter treatment times, and potentially less post-treatment discomfort. A key challenge in VPT is the accurate diagnosis of pulp and apical periodontal status to predict treatment success. However, various signs, symptoms and clinical testing methods are currently not quantifiable, and cannot accurately differentiate between reversible pulpitis and truly irreversible pulpitis that will not survive the treatment.  The accuracy and predictive value of clinical parameters in predicting the success of VPT remain unvalidated. In addition, existing outcome studies comparing the efficacy of VPT with non-surgical root canal treatment have major limitations. Quantitative chairside tests to assess inflammatory response of the pulp and the extent of mechanical allodynia may aid in identifying cases most suitable for VPT. This table clinic presentation will define the proportion of cases in an endodontic clinic that are good candidates for VPT, the core outcomes that are important in evaluating the success of VPT, and explore emerging technologies that may be introduced in the near future for predictive chairside testing.