# Should the Application of Diode Laser Completely Replace Conventional Pulpotomy of Primary Tenth?
## 4 Discussion
However, considering the radiographic success rate (75%), the question arises whether the application of the diode laser can truly replace the traditional formocresol and ferrous sulfate pulpotomy on primary molars [26]. In 2020, [PERSON] et al. [27] compared clinical and radiographic success rates between a diode laser (915 nm, 2 W) and formocresol pulpotomy in human primary molars followed for 12 months. These results are also consistent with the research of [PERSON] et al. [19], in which the split-mouth technique was used to investigate the success rates of a diode laser (980 nm, 3 W) pulpotomy with MTA and formocresol pulpotomy with zinc oxide eugenol (ZOE) with an average follow-up period of 15.7 months; there was no significant difference between these two groups (a similar clinical success rate was 100%). In 2019, [PERSON] et al. [52] compared the use of a diode laser (810 nm, 1.5 W) in a continuous mode for 10 s and formocresol for pulpotomy in primary molars. Although no statistically significant difference in radiographic outcomes was found between the two study groups, the diode laser was observed to offer a higher success rate in terms of clinical outcomes. Similar work modes of diode laser were used in the study by [PERSON] et al. [53] which compared a diode laser (970 nm, 3 W) with sodium hypochlorite intervention or no medication (according to the clinical symptoms and signs and radiographic features) as well in the study by [PERSON] et al. [18] where 2 min and 31 s exposure to a diode laser (980 nm, 3 W) showed better clinical as well as radiographical results than electrosurgical and ferrous sulfate pulpotomy. In both pieces of research, a clinical success rate of 100% was determined, while the radiographic success rates of the two studies were 97.6% and 100%, respectively, for one-year follow-up and 90.9% for two-year follow-up according to the research by [PERSON] et al. [18,53]. Research from [PERSON] et al. [46] compared the use of a diode laser (810 nm, energy 2 J/cm\({}^{2}\)) and MTA pulpotomy and found that the success rate of a diode laser is lower, but still comparable to MTA pulpotomy. A similar success rate was noted in the study by [PERSON] et al. [54] in which the effectiveness of Biodentine as a primary teeth pulpotomy material was demonstrated as it performed similar results as MTA at a 12-month evaluation. Distinctly higher results were found in 2021 in a study by [PERSON] et al. [28] in which the combination of a diode laser (810 nm, 1.5 W) and MTA gave better clinical and radiographic success rates compared to pulpotomy procedures performed with MTA alone in 9 months of follow-up, thus concluding that lasers can be an adjuvant alternative for vital pulp therapy in human deciduous teeth. Furthermore, [PERSON] et al. [48] found higher clinical success rates of diode laser (810 nm, 3 W) than ferrous sulfate nine months after treatment while the radiographic success rate was the same between those two examined groups. In 2022, [PERSON] et al. [29] compared four different techniques (calcium hydroxide pulpotomy with 820-nm diode laser and calcium hydroxide, formocresol, MTA pulpotomies without biostimulation) in primary molars. Among all groups, no statistically significant difference in clinical success was found at a six-month and one-year follow-up, whereas a decrease in success over time was observed only in the calcium hydroxide group for radiographic outcomes. On the other hand, a study by [PERSON] et al. [55] in 2022 compared three groups of partial pulpotomy: MTA alone, MTA with low-level laser therapy (660 nm, 200 mW), and MTA with high power (810 nm, 1 W) diode laser radiation. No significant differences in the incidence of clinical or radiographic failure were found between the groups at any interval up to 18 months after therapy, while the addition of low- or high-power diode laser irradiation to the MTA partial pulpotomy procedure did not cause a significant difference in success rates.