Clinical and radiographic outcomes of pulpotomy in primary molars using bioceramic putty versus formocresol: a retrospective cohort study

Abstract

This retrospective cohort study compared the clinical and radiographic outcomes of pulpotomy in cariously exposed primary molars treated with bioceramic putty (BCP) or formocresol (FC) in a private pediatric dental clinic in Tel Aviv, Israel. Records and radiographs of children aged 4–10 years treated between March 2020 and September 2023 were reviewed. Seventy-nine teeth in 57 children met the eligibility criteria: 31 were treated with BCP and 48 with FC. Categories A and B were defined as success and categories C and D as failure. Mean follow-up was 14.68 ± 6.97 months for BCP and 11.06 ± 3.76 months for FC. Overall success was 96.8% (30/31) with BCP and 72.9% (35/48) with FC (Fisher’s exact test, p = 0.007). Regression analyses accounting for clustering of multiple teeth within individual children were considered exploratory because of the small number of failure events. Within the limitations of this retrospective study, BCP was associated with a higher pulpotomy success rate than FC.