title: Success of mineral trioxide aggregate in pulpotomized primary molars.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to compare, clinically and radiographically, the mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) to formocresol (FC) when used as medicaments in pulpotomized vital human primary molars.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample consisted of 120 primary molars, all teeth were treated with the same conventional pulpotomy technique. Sixty molars received FC and 60 received MTA throughout a random selection technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the end of 24-month evaluation period, 74 molars (36 FC, 38 MTA) were available for clinical and radiographic evaluation. None of the MTA treated teeth showed any clinical or radiographic pathology, while the FC group showed a success rate of 86.8% radiographically and 98.6% clinically. The difference between the two groups in the radiographic outcomes was statistically significant. It was concluded that MTA treated molars demonstrated significantly greater success. MTA seems to be a suitable replacement for formocresol in pulpotomized primary teeth.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Dentistry Division, Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. N_Farsi@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Najat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Farsi
authors.forename: Najlaa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Alamoudi
authors.forename: Khalid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Balto
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mushayt
mesh_terms: D017607:Aluminum Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017610:Calcium Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005566:Formocresols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008963:Molar / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects*; D010087:Oxides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011672:Pulpotomy / Q000379:methods*; D011859:Radiography; D017640:Silicates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D017607:Aluminum Compounds; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D017610:Calcium Compounds; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005566:Formocresols; D010087:Oxides; D017640:Silicates; C086631:mineral trioxide aggregate; C031025:formocresol