title: Effectiveness of 4 pulpotomy techniques--randomized controlled trial.
abstract: Pulpotomy is the accepted therapy for the management of cariously exposed pulps in symptom-free primary molars; however, evidence is lacking about the most appropriate technique. The aim of this study was to compare the relative effectiveness of the Er:YAG laser, calcium hydroxide, and ferric sulfate techniques with that of dilute formocresol in retaining such molars symptom-free. Two hundred primary molars in 107 healthy children were included and randomly allocated to one of the techniques. The treated teeth were blindly re-evaluated after 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. Descriptive data analysis and logistic regression analysis, accounting for each patient's effect by a generalized estimating equation (GEE), were used. After 24 months, the following total and clinical success rates were determined (%): formocresol 85 (96), laser 78 (93), calcium hydroxide 53 (87), and ferric sulfate 86 (100). Only calcium hydroxide performed significantly worse than formocresol (p = 0.001, odds ratio = 5.6, 95% confidence interval 2.0-15.5). In conclusion, calcium hydroxide is less appropriate for pulpotomies than is formocresol.
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dentistry & Periodontology, Dental School, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Goethestrasse 70, 80336 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Huth
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Paschos
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hajek-Al-Khatar
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hollweck
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Crispin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hickel
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Folwaczny
mesh_terms: D002126:Calcium Hydroxide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003442:Crowns; D003785:Dental Pulp Capping; D003789:Dental Pulp Exposure / Q000628:therapy; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent; D005260:Female; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005566:Formocresols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005899:Glass Ionomer Cements; D006490:Hemostatics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D011672:Pulpotomy / Q000379:methods*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015035:Zinc Oxide-Eugenol Cement
chemical_list: D005290:Ferric Compounds; D005566:Formocresols; D005899:Glass Ionomer Cements; D006490:Hemostatics; D015035:Zinc Oxide-Eugenol Cement; C031025:formocresol; C024823:ferric sulfate; D002126:Calcium Hydroxide