Emergency pulpotomy: pain relieving effect with and without the use of sedative dressings.

Seventy-three teeth with acute irreversible pulpitis were subjected to emergency pulpotomies. After removal of the coronal portion of the pulp, a sterile cotton pellet or zinc oxide-eugenol cement was placed against the remaining pulp tissue. The cotton pellet was either dry or moistened with camphorated phenol, cresatin, eugenol, or isotonic saline. This gave six different groups of treatment following the pulpotomy. All teeth were sealed with zinc oxide-eugenol cement. By means of questionnaires, symptoms were recorded after the anesthetic effect was gone and also at 1, 7, and 30 days after treatment. A total of 70 patients (96%) reported pain relief. Three patients did not experience relief and returned for pulpectomy. After the first postoperative day, no pain was reported by any of the patients. The frequency of discomfort decreased from 11% 1 day postoperatively to 1% 30 days after the emergency treatment. There was no difference in recorded symptoms among the six treatment groups. Thus, removal of caries, pulpotomy, and sealing of the cavity apparently was a reliable means to relieve pain. The use of the various dressings did not contribute to the relief of pain.