Evaluation of three pulpotomy medicaments in primary teeth

To examine the success of the one-appointment pulpotomy technique with three different medicaments on primary molar teeth.

The study was conducted on 104 primary molars in 104 children with an indication for pulpotomy treatment on at least one primary molar. Primary teeth were treated with either formocresol (FC) (34 teeth), calcium hydroxide (CA) (33 teeth) or ferric sulphate (FS) (37 teeth) using standardised criteria for the pulpotomy procedures. Teeth were clinically and radiographically evaluated during the examination period of 18 months.

The clinical success rate at 18 months for the FC and FS groups was 90.9% and 89.2%, respectively. The CA showed an overall clinical success rate of 82.3%, with no statistical difference compared with either the FC or FS groups. The overall radiographic success for each technique was: FC 84.8%, CA 76.5%, and FS 81.1%. The presence of a dentine bridge above the pulp amputation site was observed radiographically for CA (47%), and FS (40.5%) pulpotomies without any statistical difference. Radiographic examination did not reveal the presence of a dentine bridge for any of the teeth treated with FC pulpotomy.

Favourable clinical and radiographic success rates of ferric sulphate pulpotomy, comparable to formocresol were obtained. Therefore, ferric sulphate can be recommended as a pulpotomy medicament.