[Radiographic follow-up of primary molars following sclerosing amputation]

The effects of pulpotomy with the formocresol technique (Tempophore) were studied in a sample of 72 patients between 3 and 9 years of age. A total of 137 primary molars were treated and a longitudinal radiographical follow-up was executed with an interval of 4 months. Eighteen pulpotomies (13%) failed; in twelve of them an interradicular abscess was developing and 6 of them failed by internal resorption. It was striking that a rather great number of the failures occurred under 3 years of age and in patients older than 9 years. A second remarkable result was the higher frequency of failures in the mandible (18%) than in the maxilla (4%). This study reveals that the pulpotomy by formocresol is a successful therapy, by which primary molars with extensive carious lesions can be preserved until their usual time of shedding.