Clinical and radiographical evaluation of propolis and thymus vulgaris extracts compared with formocresol pulpotomy in human primary molars

OBJECTIVES/AIMS: This study aimed to examine the success of vital pulpotomy using natural extracts on primary teeth. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was carried out on 60 primary molars in 20 children indicated for pulpotomy. Primary molars were treated with formocresol (20 teeth), propolis ethanolic extract (20 teeth) or thymus vulgaris ethanolic extract (20 teeth). Treated teeth were clinically and radiographically evaluated after 1, 6 and 12 months. RESULTS: The clinical success of formocresol and propolis groups was 88.2%, whereas the thymus group showed 94.4% with no statistical significance difference. The radiographical success for formocresol and propolis was 73.3%, and thymus was 88.2% without any statistical significance difference detected. CONCLUSION: Promising clinical and radiographical success rates of propolis and thymus vulgaris obtained when compared with formocresol.