Sodium hypochlorite vs formocresol as pulpotomy medicaments in primary molars: 1-year follow-up.

Purpose: The study evaluated the effects of 3 percent sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and formocresol (FC) as pulp dressing agents in pulpotomized primary molars.

Methods: One hundred children between three and six years each with at least one primary mandibular second molar requiring pulpotomy were randomly allocated to two groups (of 50 each). All the teeth received stainless steel crown after conventional pulpotomy procedure with either NaOCI (applied for 15 second) or FC (applied for one minute). Clinical and radiographic signs/symptoms were blindly recorded at zero, six. and 12 months. The differences were statistically analyzed using the Fisher's exact test.

Results: At six months, 100 percent clinical success was found with both NaOCl, and FC. Radiographic success rates for NaOCl were 98 percent and 92 percent at 6- and 12-month recalls respectively. FC group showed 94 percent and 93 percent radiographic success rates at the same periods respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups.

Conclusion: NaOCl can be suggested as a pulpotomy agent for primary teeth pulpotomies. However further clinical studies with long-term follow-ups are needed to test the efficacy of NaOCl as a pulpotomy medicament in primary teeth.