Dentaltown has published the longest case history ever reported in dental literature. The 70-year recall of a vital calcium hydroxide pulpotomy performed by Harold Berk, DDS in 1946 was reported in the February 2017 issue and appears online. The article shows the step-by-step technique for the surgical procedure.
Vital pulpotomy is the amputation of the coronal pulp tissue and placement of a pulpal dressing with the intention of maintaining the vitality of the radicular pulp. Dr. Harold Berk, a pioneer and early researcher in pulp biology and vital pulp therapy, reported on the 50-year recall of his first human pulpotomy (1996) in his book, Save That Tooth. Dr. Ali Maddahi saw the patient in 2016 and is the lead author of the 70-year report.
Dr. Berk is the inventor of Pulpdent Paste, the first premixed calcium hydroxide-aqueous methylcellulose pulpal dressing, widely used in vital pulp therapy and root canal therapy. He served on the faculty of Tufts University School of Dental Medicine from 1946-2005.
For more information on vital pulpotomy and the clinical use of Pulpdent calcium hydroxide products click here.