GLUTARALDEHYDE PREPARATIONS AND PULPOTOMY IN PRIMARY MOLARS

The study clinically and radiographically evaluated the long-term succ ess rate of pulpotomy treatment in pulp-exposed primary molars. Five c linicians participated in this study and four glutaraldehyde preparati ons included 2% buffered, 2% unbuffered, 5% buffered, and 5% unbuffere d glutaraldehyde solutions were used. There were 201 children, 108 boy s and 93 girls, ranging in age from 4 to 7 years with 258 primary mola rs treated. After 36 months, 150 teeth with complete clinical records and radiographs were available for evaluation. The treatment of 98% of the patients was clinically successful, but when evaluated radiograph ically the overall success rate was 78.7%. The group treated with 5% b uffered gluteraldehyde showed the highest success rate (87.5%) and gro up treated with the 5% unbuffered solution the lowest (74.1%), but no significant difference was found among the four groups. Canal oblitera tion was noted in 22 teeth successfully treated. Four of the teeth tha t were not successfully treated had canal obliteration before other pa thoses became evident. The relative high failure rate in this long-ter m follow-up indicated that clinicians should be cautious before extens ively using glutaraldehyde as a pulpotomy agent.