Comparative Evaluation of Fresh Aloe barbadensis Plant Extract and Mineral Trioxide Aggregate as Pulpotomy Agents in Primary Molars: A 12-month Follow-up Study

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical and radiographic outcomes of fresh Aloe vera barbadensis plant extract and mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) as pulpotomy agents in primary molar teeth. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pulpotomy procedure was performed in sixty primary molar teeth which were randomly allocated to two groups, i.e., Aloe vera pulpotomy (Group A) and MTA pulpotomy (Group B). All the pulpotomized teeth were evaluated clinically and radiographically at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of time interval using predetermined criteria. RESULTS: The success rates between Groups A and B at the end of the 1(st) month were 24.1% and 96.4%, at the end of 3(rd) month were 57.1% and 100%, at the end of 6(th) month were 75% and 100%, at the end of 9(th) month were 66.6% and 100%, and at the end of 12 months were 100% and 100% respectively. The overall success rates at the end of 12-month follow-up period were 6.9% and 71.4%, respectively, after taking dropout patients into consideration, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: MTA pulpotomy was found to be superior when compared to fresh A. barbadensis plant extract pulpotomy in primary molars.