success rate of formocresol pulpotomy performed by postgraduate students in King Saud University College of Dentistry

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To determine the success rate of formocresol pulpotomy in primary molars performed by pediatric dentistry postgraduate students in the King Saud University College of Dentistry, Riyadh. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty two children with 44 pulpotomized primary molars attended for the study. The pulpotomized primary molars were evaluated both clinically and radiographically. Eleven [50%] children were male and 11 [50%] female with a mean age of 6.3 [S.D 1.9] years. The mean time elapsed since the pulpotomy procedure was 26.5 [S.D 10.41] months with a range of 12 to 60 months. None of the patients complained of any pain associated with the pulpotomized teeth. There was no soft tissue swelling or fistula formation. Abnormal mobility was noticed in six [13.6%] teeth. The major radiographic finding was furcation radiolucency [21.4%] followed by internal root resorption [19.0%] and periapical radiolucency [14.3%]. The clinical and radiographic success rates were 81.8% and 65.9% respectively. The overall success rate of the formocresol pulpotomy was 61.4%. The success rate of the formocresol pulpotomy in primary teeth performed by the pediatric dentistry postgraduate students was low