Randomized controlled trial of mineral trioxide aggregate and formocresol for pulpotomy in primary molar teeth.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the outcome after 6 months of the application of formocresol (FC) or mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) during pulpotomy in primary molar teeth.


METHODS
A maximum of 126 children (aged 5-9 years) with carious primary teeth that required pulpotomy were selected. Following randomization, a standard pulpotomy preparation was undertaken, and the coronal pulp removed and bleeding arrested. In the FC group, cotton balls, soaked in FC, were placed for 5 min, and then the pulp chamber was filled with Zonalin, a pulpotomy agent. In the MTA group, a 1-mm-thick paste of MTA was used as a pulpotomy agent. The crowns in both groups were restored with amalgam or glass ionomer. The teeth of 100 patients were evaluated and compared clinically and radiographically after 3 and 6 months.


RESULTS
No signs of clinical failure were observed at the 3- and 6-month follow-up appointments in either group. There were no significant differences in the radiographic findings of the teeth and surrounding tissue at the 3-month follow-up. However, at the 6-month follow-up, significantly more cases (P = 0.036) with root resorption were seen in the FC group; no cases of resorption occurred amongst the MTA cases. The surrounding tissue showed radiographic signs of post-treatment disease in four FC cases; none was seen in the MTA cases.


CONCLUSIONS
After 6 months, pulpotomy with MTA was associated with fewer cases of root resorption and post-treatment disease. MTA appears to be a reliable alternative material for pulpotomy in primary molar teeth.
Aeinehchi
M
M
Department of Endodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Azad University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. ocrt@sina.tums.ac.ir
Dadvand
S
S
Fayazi
S
S
Bayat-Movahed
S
S
D017607:Aluminum Compounds; D017610:Calcium Compounds; D002648:Child; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005566:Formocresols / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008963:Molar; D010087:Oxides; D011672:Pulpotomy / Q000379:methods*; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials; D012391:Root Resorption / Q000209:etiology; D017640:Silicates; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous
D017607:Aluminum Compounds; D017610:Calcium Compounds; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005566:Formocresols; D010087:Oxides; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials; D017640:Silicates; C086631:mineral trioxide aggregate; C031025:formocresol