Diagnostic aids and vital pulp therapy for deciduous teeth.

A carious pulp exposure in a deciduous or newly erupted permanent tooth causes perhaps as much anxiety and concern on the part o f the dentist as any other prob­ lem in dentistry. In the past many dentists have had disappointing results when they have attempted to treat these carious pulp exposures. T oo often they have used empirical methods, those based on obser­ vation rather than scientific reasoning. Some members o f the professon have found favor with a particular technic or drug and have attempted to use the same procedure in the treatment o f all carious exposures. Although it is true that many procedures often bring excellent results in the treatment o f carious exposures, they occasionally bring failures. In this paper several commonly used procedures will be discussed, and an attempt will be made to determine the merits of each by considering the clinical symptoms and histologic picture in vital pulp exposures.