Microleakage of restorative techniques for pulpotomized primary molars

This study's purpose was to assess in vitro microleakage of different restorative materials after pulpotomies in primary molars.

Proximo-occlusal cavity preparations were prepared in 60 extracted primary molars. The selected teeth had at least 3 sound walls and one half to two thirds of root length remaining. Carious tissue was removed, pulpotomy was performed, and IRM filled the pulp chamber. The teeth were then randomly divided equally into 5 groups and restored as follows: (1) group 1 with a compomer; (2) group 2 with a reinforced glass ionomer material; (3) group 3 with amalgam; (4) group 4 with a stainless steel crown (SSC); and (5) group 5 with IRM only (control). After thermocycling for 500 cycles, teeth were immersed in dye for 24 hours and progressively ground prior to microleakage evaluation. The worst result for each section was logged and results were statistically analyzed (Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney).

Group 1 showed the highest percentage of no leakage of all groups. Leakage from occlusal and cervical margins was markedly shown for all specimens of groups 2, 3, and 5.

(1) Bonding agents and resin based restorations were able to provide the best total margin protection. (2) SSCs cemented with glass ionomer cement were unable to hermetically seal teeth; and (3) Tytin, Ketac Molar, and IRM restorations did not appear to be leakage-resistant materials for pulpotomies of primary molars.