Abstract: Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) pulpotomy treatment for managing carious vital pulp exposure in permanent teeth. Methods The efficacies of pulpotomy with MTA and calcium hydroxide (CH) as pulp capping agents were compared. The weighted mean success rates (WSR) of reversible pulpitis group and irreversible pulpitis group of MTA pulpotomy were estimated, and subgroup analyses were conducted to assess the effects of different surgical procedures and apical development on the success rate of reversible pulpitis group and irreversible pulpitis group. Results MTA group was better than CH group in two-year curative effect. The one-year and two-year WSRs of reversible pulpitis group and the one-year WSR of irreversible pulpitis group were all 99%. In the subgroup of the reversible pulpitis group, one-year WSR and two-year WSR in mature permanent teeth group were respectively 100% and 97%, while in young permanent teeth group they were all 99%, in the coronal pulpotomy group they were 100% and 99%, in the partial pulpotomy group they were 99% and 97%. In the subgroup of the irreversible pulpitis group, one-year WSR in mature permanent teeth group was 99%, in young permanent teeth group it was 99% , in the coronal pulpotomy group it was 100%, and in the partial pulpotomy group it was 87%. Conclusion MTA is superior to calcium hydroxide from the perspective of the later results. The coronal pulpotomy and young permanent teeth may be beneficial to increase the success rate after operation.

Key words: Pulpotomy, MTA, Carious exposure, Permanent teeth, Meta-analysis