OBJECTIVE: This study is a systematic review that evaluated the effectiveness of calcium hydroxide [Ca(OH)2] and mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) in the treatment of teeth with incomplete rizogenesis and necrotic pulp. METHODOLOGY: The selected databases were PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS - the keyword used was "apexification"; and BIREME - the keywords were "apexification", "apexificação" and "apicificação" (in portuguese). The research period considered all the publications in the last ten years (1992 to July 2012) in English and Portuguese, that consisted of clinical studies in humans comparing the use of Ca(OH)2 and MTA in therapy of incomplete root formation teeth. RESULT: Using the selected keywords, 2.322 studies were found. Nevertheless, only three studies precisely match the inclusion criteria. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate that MTA or calcium hydroxide are both suitable for the apexification technique on immature permanent teeth. Notwithstanding, scientific evidence was hampered by the lack of controlled clinical studies. These results suggest a large opportunity for further studies comparing these materials.
Apexification; dental pulp necrosis; calcium hydroxide