Mineral trioxide aggregate in primary molar pulpotomies

Abstract

Quasi-randomised controlled trial. Primary molar teeth were treated using a conventional pulpotomy technique but received either mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA, test group) or formocresol (FC, control group) as a pulp dressing. Follow-up clinical (not blind) and radiographic (blind) assessments were undertaken every 6 months. Time elapsed between treatment and either 1) detection of pulpotomy failure 2) natural exfoliation of tooth 3) patient's last visit for recall. Pulpotomy success rate = (number of teeth in which pulpotomy did not fail)/ (total number of treated teeth) × 100. In total, 62 pulpotomised teeth were available for analysis, 29 in the FC group and 33 in the MTA group. Treatment failure occurred in six teeth (one treated with MTA and five with FC) after a mean of 16 months (range, 4–30 months). Pulpotomy success rates were 97% for MTA and 83% for FC. The mean follow-up time was 38months (range, 4.–74 months), in which there was no significant difference between test and control groups. No statistically significant difference was found in the success rates of MTA and FC in this long-term evaluation of pulpotomy in primary molars.