Comparison of electrosurgical and formocresol pulpotomy procedures in children.
OBJECTIVE
Although previous studies have examined the electrosurgical pulpotomy technique for primary teeth, no well-controlled, clinical human trials have been published. The purpose of this study was to prospectively compare electrosurgical pulpotomies vs. formocresol pulpotomies in human vital primary molar teeth.


METHODS
Fifty children were randomly divided into two groups, 25 receiving an electrosurgical pulpotomy and 25 receiving a formocresol pulpotomy.


RESULTS
After at least 5 months postoperative observation time, the clinical and radiographic success rates for the electrosurgical groups were 96 and 84%, respectively; and for the formocresol group, 100 and 92%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
There were no statistically significant differences between the success rates for the two groups at the P < 0.05 level as tested by Fisher's exact test. This study failed to demonstrate a difference in the success rate between the electrosurgical and formocresol pulpotomy techniques.
Dean
J A
JA
Section of Pediatric Dentistry, Indiana University School of Dentistry, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA. jadean1@iupui.edu
Mack
R B
RB
Fulkerson
B T
BT
Sanders
B J
BJ
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003442:Crowns; D004598:Electrosurgery / Q000379:methods; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005566:Formocresols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006488:Hemostasis, Surgical; D006489:Hemostatic Techniques; D006801:Humans; D008963:Molar / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011672:Pulpotomy / Q000379:methods*; D011859:Radiography; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013193:Stainless Steel; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015035:Zinc Oxide-Eugenol Cement / Q000627:therapeutic use
D005566:Formocresols; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials; D015035:Zinc Oxide-Eugenol Cement; D013193:Stainless Steel; C031025:formocresol