Back to DPA Annual Conference 2026 - Shifting Perception
Session
The Bioactive Shift: Redefining Pulp Therapy in the Mixed Dentition
Fri, 23 Oct 2026 at 12:30
- 13:00
About this session
Synopsis:
In an era of minimally invasive dentistry, we still face a reactive approach to the exposed or infected pulp. For too long the reflex for the primary molar has been extraction, and for the immature permanent tooth, long-term calcium hydroxide dressing. Material science revolution has changed the rules.
Dr Patel will deliver a clinically pragmatic roadmap for pulp therapy in the mixed dentition. He details the "diagnostic pivot"-the critical clinical and radiographic indicators that dictate whether you choose vital pulp therapy (VPT) over pulpectomy, and why chronologic age is less important than root maturity and bleeding control.
The core of the talk focuses on the bioceramic advantage and how these hydrophilic, bioactive materials do more than just seal-they actively recruit stem cells and upregulate dentin sialoprotein, turning a passive restoration into an active regenerative scaffold. He further compares hydraulic calcium silicates through the lens of handling, setting time, and long-term resorption compatibility with primary roots and concludes with the importance of coronal sealing and how to achieve a durable, bacteria-tight restoration over these materials. Attendees will leave with a clear, evidence-based algorithm to confidently shift from "wait and watch" to "treat and regenerate," ensuring higher success rates and fewer retreatment call-backs.
In an era of minimally invasive dentistry, we still face a reactive approach to the exposed or infected pulp. For too long the reflex for the primary molar has been extraction, and for the immature permanent tooth, long-term calcium hydroxide dressing. Material science revolution has changed the rules.
Dr Patel will deliver a clinically pragmatic roadmap for pulp therapy in the mixed dentition. He details the "diagnostic pivot"-the critical clinical and radiographic indicators that dictate whether you choose vital pulp therapy (VPT) over pulpectomy, and why chronologic age is less important than root maturity and bleeding control.
The core of the talk focuses on the bioceramic advantage and how these hydrophilic, bioactive materials do more than just seal-they actively recruit stem cells and upregulate dentin sialoprotein, turning a passive restoration into an active regenerative scaffold. He further compares hydraulic calcium silicates through the lens of handling, setting time, and long-term resorption compatibility with primary roots and concludes with the importance of coronal sealing and how to achieve a durable, bacteria-tight restoration over these materials. Attendees will leave with a clear, evidence-based algorithm to confidently shift from "wait and watch" to "treat and regenerate," ensuring higher success rates and fewer retreatment call-backs.
