Introduction: Widely used diagnostic tests do not provide information to distinguish the pulp inflammation stage while improvement of materials, techniques and vital pulp therapy have received a wider acceptance in symptomatic pulpitis treatment. The aim of this clinical study was to compare MMP-9 expression in healthy and inflamed pulp and to assess the short-term outcome of coronal pulpotomy in mature permanent teeth with symptomatic pulpitis.~Methods: Patients diagnosed with symptomatic pulpitis were included in this clinical study. Coronal pulpotomy was performed using calcium-silicate based material and blood samples were taken. Initial and postoperative pain was recorded by Heft-Parker visual analog scale at 24 hours and 72 hours after the procedure. In control group teeth with healthy pulp were used. During follow-up visits after three and six-months, patients were examined clinically and radiographically. The ELISA kit was used to determine the levels of MMP-9 in inflamed and healthy coronal pulp tissue.
Matrix metallopeptidase-9 (MMP-9) expression was compared in healthy and inflamed pulp and the outcome of coronal pulpotomy in teeth with symptomatic pulpitis was assessed. After procedure blood samples were examined using Elisa kit.