Vital Pulp Therapy Outcomes in Children's First Permanent Molars Under General Anesthesia: A Retrospective Study

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Dentistry
• Endodontics
• Dental Anesthesia

Background:

• Pulpotomy demonstrates high success rates comparable to root canal treatment for permanent teeth with pulp involvement.
• General anesthesia (GA) is utilized for pediatric dental procedures when conventional methods are challenging, though data on endodontic treatments under GA is limited.
• Current guidelines often favor extraction over endodontic intervention in specific pediatric dental scenarios.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the success rate of pulpotomies performed under general anesthesia (GA) in children's first permanent molars.
• To identify factors influencing the treatment outcomes of pulpotomies conducted under GA.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 171 pediatric patients (aged 8-12) underwent pulpotomy on 197 first permanent molars between January 2018 and July 2022.
• Clinical and radiographic follow-ups were performed at various intervals, achieving an 83% recall rate.
• Data analysis focused on assessing treatment effectiveness and identifying prognostic factors.

Main Results:

• The overall success rate for pulpotomies performed under GA was 93.36%.
• Success rates decreased over time: 100% at 1-12 months, 97.70% at 13-24 months, and 87.76% at 25-36 months.
• The etiology of the dental condition significantly influenced outcomes, while patient age, sex, and tooth maturity showed no significant impact.

Conclusions:

• Pulpotomy is an effective endodontic treatment for managing carious lesions in permanent molars, particularly when performed under general anesthesia (GA).
• The findings support pulpotomy as a viable alternative to extraction in pediatric cases requiring GA.