Dina Saad
D.r\ Mohammed Ejresh
Abstract :
Background: Pulpitis in immature permanent teeth presents a significant clinical challenge because incomplete root development, wide dentinal tubules, and an open apical foramen may influence disease progression, diagnosis, and treatment selection. Early recognition of pulpal disease is important to preserve tooth vitality and allow continued root maturation.
Objective: This study aimed to assess the demographic, clinical, and radiographic characteristics of children with pulpitis and to evaluate the associations between age, sex, clinical manifestations, and root-apex development in children aged 8–13 years.
Materials and Methods: A prospective study was conducted among 60 children aged 8–13 years who attended a specialized dental center. Clinical and radiographic examinations were performed to assess chief complaints, swelling, history of trauma, and root-apex status. The study population included 36 females (60.0%) and 24 males (40.0%). Associations between categorical variables were assessed using the chi-square test, while differences in age across root-development groups were evaluated using the Kruskal–Wallis test. Spearman’s correlation was used to assess the relationship between age and root maturation. A P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Open apex was the most common radiographic finding, observed in 32 children (53.3%), followed by closed apex in 19 (31.7%) and incomplete root formation in 9 (15.0%). Night pain was the predominant chief complaint, occurring in 41 cases (68.3%). No significant association was observed between sex and root-apex status (χ² = 0.192, P = 0.908), chief complaint and root-apex status (χ² = 6.874, P = 0.550), swelling and root-apex status (χ² = 1.245, P = 0.537), or trauma and root-apex status (χ² = 1.810, P = 0.404). Similarly, sex was not significantly associated with chief complaint (χ² = 3.501, P = 0.478) or swelling (χ² = 0.330, P = 0.565). A significant positive correlation was found between age and root maturation (Spearman’s r = 0.304, P = 0.018). In addition, the mean age was significantly higher among males than females (11.17 ± 1.27 vs. 10.25 ± 1.42 years, P = 0.014).
Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that open apices were common among children presenting with pulp-related clinical findings, emphasizing the importance of accurate assessment of root development in pediatric dental patients. Increasing age was significantly associated with greater root maturation, whereas sex, chief complaint, swelling, and trauma were not significantly associated with root-apex status. Early diagnosis and appropriate management of pulpal disease in immature permanent teeth may help preserve pulp vitality and support continued physiological root development.