Background: To assess & compare clinical & radiographic effects of Hyaluronic acid (HA) versus formocresol (FC) as pulpotomy medication in primary molars. Materials & Methods: 20 children in age group 4-7 years have bilateral primary molars which need pulpotomy treatment due to deep caries. children divided into two groups, group I included 20 molars treated with HA & group II included 20 molars treated by FC. Patients were recalled after 3, 6, and 12 months for clinical and radiographical evaluation. Results: Clinically all cases showed no signs of pain, gingival swelling, or mobility in both HA, FC group except at 12 months. Radiographically, both HA, FC groups revealed no internal resorption at 3, 6 months while at 12 months only one case of FC group , three cases of HA group showed internal resorption. FC group revealed increase in the PDL space at 3, 6 and 12-months while HA group showed decrease in PDL space at 3 and 6 months then slight increase occurred at 12 months. FC group revealed furcation radiolucency increase at 3, 6 and 12 months while HA group showed slight decrease in bone radio-density at 3 months then an increase in bone radio-density at 6 months followed by a decrease at 12 months.
Conclusion: Clinical and radiographic success rates of HA is comparable to FC for primary molars over 12 month follow-up period.
Recommendation: Further clinical studies with long time evaluation periods should be done to investigate HA effects on primary pulp tissues.