Objective: The purpose of this systematic review was to identify high-quality articles comparing laser with conventional pulpotomy procedures, and to assess whether laser treatment may offer an appreciable benefit over conventional approaches.
Methods: A systematic search was implemented for MEDLINE, WEB of SCIENCE and Cochrane's CENTRAL databases (1980-2012) to identify eligible studies. Two reviewers independently assessed the methodological quality of the articles (Κ = 0.89) using specific study design-related quality assessment forms (Dutch Cochrane Collaboration).
Results: Seven articles met the inclusion criteria, of which five randomized control trials (RCT) and two case series (CS), involving Nd:YAG, Er:YAG, CO₂ and 632/980 nm diode lasers. Although heterogeneity between pulpotomy studies was high, odds ratios (OR) were generally <1, indicating that laser is less successful than conventional pulpotomy techniques.
Conclusion: Given the paucity and high heterogeneity of high-quality articles, general recommendations for the clinical use of laser in pulpotomy in primary teeth can yet not be formulated.
© 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, BSPD and IAPD.