108 - Vital Pulp Therapy Success Rate in Community Health Centers

Abstract:

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes of pulpotomy techniques in pediatric patients treated at rural Community Health Centers (CHCs) in Central Washington.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted of children aged 2–9 years who underwent pulpotomy for carious primary molars between 2019 and 2024. Data included age, gender, treatment modality, pulpotomy medicament, and outcomes. Clinical failure was defined as pain, abscess, pathologic mobility, or extraction due to pulpotomy failure. Radiographic failure was defined as furcal or periapical radiolucency or extraction due to pulpotomy failure.

Results: A total of 211 cases met inclusion criteria. Most patients were 4–6 years old (74%), with a near-equal gender distribution. Clinical and radiographic success rates were 95% and 91%, respectively. MTA-based materials were the most commonly used medicaments, and sodium hypochlorite was the primary disinfectant. Most procedures (84.4%) were performed under general anesthesia. Children aged 7–9 years represented a small proportion of the sample (4%), consistent with expected exfoliation patterns and earlier disease progression.

Conclusions: Pulpotomy procedure in pediatric patients treated at CHCs demonstrated high clinical and radiographic success. MTA is a reliable treatment modality for managing deep caries in primary molars, including high-risk populations. These findings support continued use in CHC settings, where disease burden and treatment complexity are often greater. Early intervention, appropriate case selection, and age-specific clinical decision-making remain critical. Further research is needed to better define age-related outcome differences and optimize treatment protocols.