Survey on Primary and Young Permanent Tooth Pulp Therapy as Practiced by Pediatric Dentists in Karnataka

Abstract

Introduction Maintaining the function of primary teeth until their natural exfoliation is important. Pulp therapy can save the tooth and is always a calculated risk. This study aims to enquire about the current knowledge, attitude, and practice of various pulp therapy options and awareness about it among pediatric dentists of Karnataka. Method A questionnaire, consisting 21 questions formulated on various pulp therapy techniques, was formulated and forwarded to pediatric dentists through electronic media. Statistical analysis was performed using appropriate software. Results The results showed 81.2% of participants preferred calcium hydroxide for an indirect pulp-capping base, while only 37.6% preferred calcium hydroxide for direct pulp capping. For pulpectomy, 70.4% preferred iodoform for obturating material. And the most preferred material for apexification and apexogenesis was Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA), that is, 61.4 and 52.3%, respectively. Conclusion The introduction of newer materials for pulp therapy has increased the quality of treatment. Many differences of opinion still exist in the areas of pulp therapy techniques and procedure selection criteria.