title: Clinical and radiographic comparison of primary molars after formocresol and electrosurgical pulpotomy: a randomized clinical trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vital pulpotomy is a single-stage procedure defined as the surgical amputation of the coronal portion of exposed vital pulp, usually as a means of preserving the vitality and function of the remaining radicular portion.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to compare the clinical and radiographic success rates for electrosurgical vs formocresol pulpotomy in human primary molar teeth.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective, randomized clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this randomized clinical trial, pulpotomies were performed on 70 primary molars in children aged 5-10 years. The teeth were treated using either a conventional formocresol (35 teeth) or electrosurgical technique (35 teeth). Following the pulpotomy procedure, the teeth were evaluated for clinical and radiographic success for three, six and nine months. The teeth were evaluated for the presence of pain, abscess, fistula, mobility, internal and external resorption, and radiolucency.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data were assessed with Fishers' Exact test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After nine months of follow-up, the clinical and radiographic success rates were 96 and 84% respectively in the electrosurgical group and 100 and 96.8% respectively in the formocresol group. There was no statistically significant difference between the success rates in the two groups ( P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results showed the failure rates for electrosurgical pulpotomy to be equal to those for formocresol pulpotomy. Although electrosurgical pulpotomy is a nonpharmacological technique giving favorable results, it is still a preservative technique. Further studies using larger samples and longer evaluation periods are recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontics, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bahrololoomi
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moeintaghavi
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Emtiazi
authors.forename: Ghofran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hosseini
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003723:Dental Amalgam; D003751:Dental Fistula / Q000209:etiology; D003785:Dental Pulp Capping / Q000379:methods; D003789:Dental Pulp Exposure / Q000628:therapy; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent; D004598:Electrosurgery / Q000379:methods*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005566:Formocresols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008963:Molar / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000601:surgery; D010482:Periapical Abscess / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011672:Pulpotomy / Q000379:methods*; D014086:Tooth Mobility / Q000209:etiology; D014091:Tooth Resorption / Q000209:etiology; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000601:surgery; D014098:Toothache / Q000209:etiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015035:Zinc Oxide-Eugenol Cement / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D005566:Formocresols; D015035:Zinc Oxide-Eugenol Cement; C031025:formocresol; D003723:Dental Amalgam