100 - Comparison of Pulpotomies Done With And Without Without General Anesthesia

Purpose: The aim of this parallel-group, 3-year retroactive chart review, was to compare the success of pulpotomies placed under GA to those placed without use of GA in a population of children in Columbia, MO.

Methods: Included in the study were all patients aged 0-18 at Compass Health in Columbia, MO, who had a pulpotomy done in the year 2022. Patient charts were reviewed from January 2022 until March 2025. Success was defined as the pulpotomized tooth not having to be extracted anytime in the three years following the pulpotomy.

Results: 229 patients [Age-Mean(SD)=5.61(1.85); Female=45%] were seen at Compass Health for a pulpotomy in 2022. There were 124 patients getting pulpotomies done under GA (53%), and 105 done in the office (47%). The mean number of teeth pulpotomized in a single encounter under GA was 2.02, and the mean number of teeth pulpotomized in a single office encounter was 1.12. In the following 3 years, 20 teeth were extracted. Of the pulpotomies done under GA, 10 teeth were extracted (8.1% of teeth treated; p value 0.7). Of the pulpotomies done without GA, 10 teeth were extracted (9.5% of teeth treated; p-value 0.7).

Conclusion: There is no significant difference between the success rates of pulpotomies placed under GA with those placed in the office.