Success Rates of Pulpotomies Performed by General Dentists Versus Pediatric Dentists: A Claims Data Analysis

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine if there are differences in the success rate of primary teeth treated with pulpotomies performed by general dentists (GDs) versus pediatric dentists (PDs), using submitted paid insurance dental claims. The extraction time after pulpotomy was examined. Methods: Data for this study were obtained from a private dental insurance claims warehouse. The insurance claims data were retrieved, and a retrospective analysis was performed over seven years (2008 to 2015). The survival rate was estimated using proportional hazard survival analysis. Results: The total number of paid dental claims that used the CDT code for pulpotomy was 401,638. For teeth that received pulpotomy, the average time between pulpotomy and extraction was 1.1 years if the pulpotomies were performed by GDs. The average time was 1.3 years if the pulpotomies were performed by PDs (P<0.0001). GDs had an extraction rate of 7.83 percent after pulpotomies and the placement of stainless steel crowns, while PDs had an extraction rate of 4.09 percent. Conclusions: There is a significant difference in the success rate of teeth treated with pulpotomies performed by pediatric dentists versus general dentists, with pulpotomies performed by the former having a longer survival rate.