Original Article

Year : 2019 | Volume : 4 | Issue : 2 | Page : 23 - 26

Use of Formocresol by the Pediatric Dentists across Chennai:A Questionnaire Survey

Megaha, L. Jailance

Department of Pedodontics, SRM Dental College, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu, India

Address for correspondence:

Prof. L. Jailance,

Assistant Professor, SRM Dental College, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu, India

E-mail: dr.jailance@gmail.com

Abstract

Introduction:

In pediatric dentistry, Buckley first introduced the formocresol as a medicament and to treat the nonvital permanent teeth in 1904. In 1930, sweet introduced the formocresol pulpotomy medicament for primary teeth.[1] The use of formocresol is more controversial than Rotherham medicaments. Other pulpotomy medicaments such as ferric sulfate, glutaraldehyde, calcium hydroxide, MTA, bioactive glass, and morphogenetic protein are used in the treatment of primary pulpotomy.[2] 19% formaldehyde and 35% tricresol, 15% glycerin, and 31% water base are the composition of formocresal. This study aims to inquire about the use of formocresol for primary as well as permanent tooth pulpotomy and to know the awareness about the diluted formulations of formocresol and its adverse effect among Chennai pediatric dentists.

Materials and Methods:

A questionnaire will be given to 50 pedodontists from Chennai city. The question will be based on whether the practitioners used full-strength or diluted formocresol, the brand and formulation they use and if they use diluted formocresol, how the diluted form is obtain and the knowledge about the adverse effects.

Result:

About 52% of dental practitioners are using commercially available formocresal. About 21% of them are using chair side preparation formocresal. About 4% of them are using formocresal which is prepared by local pharmacist. 23% of them did not know the dilution formocresal availability.

Conclusion:

Formocresol is the most popular medicament in the field of pediatric dentistry. This survey concluded that formocresol is a widely used medicament, and it is used as commercially available diluted form by most of the practitioner. This research article focuses on encouraging more researchers to further investigate actual effective dose and concentration for the clinical application for pulpotomy in primary teeth is an important area of further research.

Keywords: Formocresol, pediatrics, pulp therapy, use

Financial support and sponsorship

Nil.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.

How to cite this article: Megaha, Jailance L. Use of formocresol by the pediatric dentists across Chennai: A questionnaire survey. Int J Soc Rehab 2019;4:23-6.