Treatment outcomes of pulpotomy in primary molars using two endodontic biomaterials. A 2-year randomised clinical trial

Abstract

Aim: To compare the treatment outcomes of calcium-enriched mixture (CEM) cement and mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) as pulp dressing biomaterials in vital pulpotomy of carious primary molars.

Study design: split-mouth randomised clinical trial.

Materials and methods: Forty children aged 4-8 years with 2 carious teeth requiring pulpotomy were selected and randomly assigned to MTA (n = 40) or CEM (n = 40) groups. After coronal pulp removal, the remaining radicular pulp was covered with an appropriate biomaterial; the teeth were then permanently restored. Clinical/radiographic success/failures were blindly evaluated at 6-, 12- and 24-month follow-ups.

Statistics: the recorded data were analyzed with McNemar test and GEE.

Results: A total of 36, 33 and 35 patients were available for 6-, 12- and 24-month follow-ups, respectively. At the 12-month follow-up only one and three teeth in the CEM and MTA groups had pathologic external root resorption, respectively. The resorbed teeth were then missed due to extraction/exfoliation at the 24-month follow-up; all other treated teeth were sign/symptom-free. Overall, clinical and radiographic outcomes in both MTA/CEM groups were comparable at the three follow-ups without significant differences. Time had no significant effect on the success.

Conclusion: MTA and CEM demonstrated favourable treatment outcomes for pulpotomy of carious primary molars; CEM may be an effective pulp dressing biomaterial.