Clinical and radiographic comparison of materials used in the treatment of primary teeth

This study aims to evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcome of root canal treatment (CT) with smear layer removal performed in primary teeth using two root canal filling materials – iodoform based paste and calcium hydroxide/zinc oxide paste. This trial was carried out on 27 primary teeth with necrotic pulps or irreversible pulpitis caused by dental caries or trauma in 23 children (7 girls and 16 boys) aged between 2 and 9 years old. Participants were selected based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria and the teeth which needed pulpectomy procedure were randomly allocated into 2 groups: Group I (GI) – iodoform paste (iodoform + camphorated parachlorophenol + ointment comprising prednisolone acetate 5.0mg and rifamycin 1.5mg ); Group II (GII) – calcium hydroxide/zinc oxide paste (Calen®/ZO: Ca(OH)2 – 26.12% e OZ – 39.33%). It were treated at most two teeth per child. The outcome measures were evaluated clinically at one and three months and both clinically and radiographically at six months according to specific criteria. Two blinded, trained and calibrated evaluators assessed the radiographic outcomes. Descriptive analysis was performed. A hundred percent of the treatments in both groups were successful, hence the pulpectomy performance in both groups were influenced neither by the filling material nor by any other analyzed variable. Strict caution in case selection and in execution of the treatment as well as in monitoring the patients in the follow up period may have contributed to the high success rate of this study. We can conclude that the clinical and radiographic sixmonth outcome of root canal treatment with smear layer removal performed in primary teeth was successful independently of the root filling material used.