Mineral trioxide aggregate in paediatric dentistry

Objective. The aim of this study was to present a review of the reported literature on: (i) the physical and chemical properties; and (ii) clinical applications of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) in the practice of paediatric dentistry. Method. Electronic literature search of scientific papers from January 1993 to June 2008 was carried out on the MEDLINE, Embase, Entrez Pubmed, and Scopus databases using specific key words. The search yielded 448 papers, out of which 100 were identified as conforming to the applied criteria. These papers formed the basis of the review and the clinical scenarios presented which demonstrate the application of MTA in the practice of paediatric dentistry. Conclusion. Paediatric dentists have successfully employed MTA in a variety of endodontic/restorative applications since the late 1990s. Clinical impressions have generally been favourable and support the findings of laboratory and animal‐based investigations. Very few clinical studies have been reported so far in humans, and although these have been positive, the body of research is currently insufficient to enable a meaningful systematic review and meta‐analysis.