Which material is commonly used as an intracanal medicament following pulpectomy procedures?

Which material is commonly used as an intracanal medicament following pulpectomy procedures?

• A. Calcium hydroxide
• B. MTA
• C. Formocresol
• D. Chlorhexidine

Answer: (D)

Disinfection of the canal between visits is the main purpose of an intracanal medicament after a pulpectomy. Calcium hydroxide is used most commonly for this role because its strong alkaline environment (pH around 12) disrupts and kills a wide range of endodontic bacteria and inactivates bacterial endotoxins. This high pH also helps dissolve tissue remnants and promotes a cleaner canal space, which supports healing and favorable outcomes in treated teeth, especially in pediatric cases where resorption and biocompatibility are important. While chlorhexidine is a potent antiseptic with good substantivity and is often used as an irrigant or adjunct, it does not provide the same tissue-dissolving and sustained alkaline effects as calcium hydroxide, making it less the standard choice for intracanal medicament after pulpectomy. MTA and formocresol serve different roles (MTA as a barrier or root-end filler, and formocresol in historical pulpotomy procedures) and are not used as the primary intracanal medicament in this context.

Disinfection of the canal between visits is the main purpose of an intracanal medicament after a pulpectomy. Calcium hydroxide is used most commonly for this role because its strong alkaline environment (pH around 12) disrupts and kills a wide range of endodontic bacteria and inactivates bacterial endotoxins. This high pH also helps dissolve tissue remnants and promotes a cleaner canal space, which supports healing and favorable outcomes in treated teeth, especially in pediatric cases where resorption and biocompatibility are important. While chlorhexidine is a potent antiseptic with good substantivity and is often used as an irrigant or adjunct, it does not provide the same tissue-dissolving and sustained alkaline effects as calcium hydroxide, making it less the standard choice for intracanal medicament after pulpectomy. MTA and formocresol serve different roles (MTA as a barrier or root-end filler, and formocresol in historical pulpotomy procedures) and are not used as the primary intracanal medicament in this context.