A histopathological comparison of formocresol, propolis, and growth factor as pulpotomy medicaments in primary teeth: An in vivo study

Abstract

Background: Pulpotomy is the most common pulp treatment of primary molars, where surgical
amputation of infected coronal pulp results in preserving the vitality and function of radicular
pulp. With introduction of newer materials, the emphasis has shifted towards regeneration, in this
scenario; novel materials such as platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) and propolis (PS) have
been considered.
Materials and Methods: This was a single‑blind in vivo study; ninety human primary teeth from
children aged between 5 and 10 years were divided into three equal groups in whom pulpotomy
procedure was performed and they were recalled after 3‑ and 6‑month interval for histological
evaluation. Observations were subjected to statistical analysis using Pearson’s Chi‑square test.
Results: No statistically significant difference was found between the three materials with respect
to inflammatory response, soft‑tissue organization, and dentin bridge formation (P > 0.05). Majority
of the samples in both growth factor and propolis exhibited dentin bridges at the interface of the
exposed pulp, bringing or attempting to bridge the site exposed to the pulpotomy material. The
ability of the material to evoke a foreign and inflammatory cell response in the pulpal tissue was
not significant. The samples of both formocresol and growth factor group showed signs of pulpal
necrosis which revealed the presence of a mild necrotic zone in one specimen at 3 months. One
specimen from the propolis group showed mild areas of necrosis at the end of 6 months, where
none of the specimens in the growth factor group showed areas of necrosis at the end of 6 months.
Conclusion: The results of the present study showed a positive outcome for growth factor and
propolis groups. Further clinical trials with a larger sample size and long‑term review have to be
conducted for the material to be used widely.
Key Words: Formocresol, growth factor, primary molars, propolis, pulpotomy