LAUSR

BACKGROUND Pulpotomy has been successfully performed in immature and mature permanent teeth with irreversible pulpitis but rarely in primary teeth. AIM To evaluate the outcomes of iRoot BP Plus pulpotomy and Vitapex pulpectomy in primary molars with irreversible pulpitis. DESIGN We selected 130 primary molars of 99 patients, aged 3-7 years, diagnosed with irreversible pulpitis with coronal pulp tissue and treated with iRoot BP Plus pulpotomy or Vitapex pulpectomy (median follow-up period: 18 months). They were divided into the pulpotomy (n = 88) and pulpectomy (n = 42) groups according to the treatment procedure. The pulpotomy group was further divided into asymptomatic (n = 46) and symptomatic (n = 42) subgroups according to preoperative symptoms. The chi-square test and Cox regression were performed to analyze the outcomes. RESULTS The clinical and radiographic success rates were significantly higher in the pulpotomy group (98.9% and 95.5%) than in the pulpectomy group (88.1% and 54.8%) and did not differ significantly between asymptomatic and symptomatic pulpotomy subgroups. CONCLUSION Irreversible pulpitis of primary molars with coronal pulp tissue can be successfully treated with iRoot BP Plus pulpotomy. Early intra-radicular resorption of materials is the main adverse outcome of Vitapex pulpectomy.