Clinical and radiographic evaluation of chitosan-zinc oxide eugenol mix in pulp capping of primary teeth

Abstract

Objective of this study was to evaluate clinically and radiographically the chitosan-zinc oxide eugenol mix as pulp capping material in primary teeth. Materials & Methods: The study was performed on 36 primary molars of patients aged from 4-8 years that indicated for pulpotomy. The teeth were divided randomly into 2 main equal groups. Each group formed of 18 primary molars. Group A: 18 children teeth in which zinc oxide and eugenol (ZO/E) was used as pulp capping material after formocresol (FC) application. Group B: 18 children teeth in which Chitosan-ZO/E mix was used as pulp capping material. The teeth were assessed clinically and radiographically at 4 different intervals (preoperative, 24 hours, 6 weeks and 3 months postoperative), using standard clinical and radiographic criteria. Results: It was found that chitosan-ZO/E mix offers good clinical and radiographical results when compared with ZO/E after application of FC but with no statistically significant differences. ZO/E after application of FC (group A) showed (83.33%) success rate, while the Chitosan-ZO/E mix (group B) showed a higher success rate (94.44%) while failure rate showed (16.67%) and (5.56%) respectively. Conclusion: Chitosan-ZO/E mix is a promising material as pulp capping material with a high success rate and showing competitive properties to ZO/E after FC application. It has the power to be an alternative for ZO/E after FC application in pulpotomized primary molars.