Clinical and radiographic evaluation of testing different concentrations of sodium hypochloride as vital pulpotomy treatment in primary teeth

Background/aim
Sodium hypochloride (NaOCl) was used recently as an alternative material for formocresol. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcome of pulpotomy treatment in deciduous molars using 2.5% NaOCl, 5% NaOCl, and Buckley's formocresol.
Participants and methods
A total of 60 primary molars teeth of 30 children aged 5–9 years were selected for the study. The selected teeth were randomly distributed into three groups treated by 2.5% NaOCl, 5% NaOCl, and formocresol. Pulpotomy was carried out using the three medications, and the teeth were restored with stainless steel crowns. The clinical and radiographic evaluations were performed at 3 and 6 months postoperatively.
Results
At the 3-month follow-up, 100% of the pulpotomy medicaments were clinically successful. At the 6-month follow-up, all pulpotomized dentitions in 2.5% NaOCl and formocresol were clinically successful. In 5% NaOCl group, gingival inflammation was observed in two teeth. Regarding the radiographic findings, at the 3-month follow-up, all pulpotomized teeth in 2.5% NaOCl group were successfully treated. Radiographic changes were seen in 5% of the teeth in the 5% NaOCl group and 5.5% of teeth in the formocresol group. At the 6-month follow-up, radiographic changes were seen in 6% of the teeth in 2.5% NaOCl group, 11% of the teeth in 5% NaOCl group, and 12.5% of the teeth in formocresol group. No significant differences were found in the clinical and radiographic outcomes among the three groups (>0.05).
Conclusion
There is no difference in the clinical and radiographic finding of pulpotomized molars using 2.5%, 5% NaOCl, and formocresol. The results show that 2.5% NaOCl is as effective as 5% NaOCl, so it could be used safely as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of deciduous teeth with pulp involvement.