Which sequence best outlines a pulpectomy on a primary molar, including obturation materials?

• A. Anesthesia, isolation, access, cleaning/shaping, irrigation; obturate with a resorbable paste (ZOE or Ca(OH)2-based paste); seal and restore; monitor resorption.
• B. Extraction of the tooth and placement of a prosthetic crown.
• C. Anesthesia, isolation, access, cleaning/shaping; obturate with gutta-percha; seal and restore.
• D. Pulpotomy is performed instead of pulpectomy for non-vital primary molars.

Answer: (A)

In a pulpectomy of a primary molar you must remove necrotic tissue, disinfect the canals, and fill them with a material that will resorb along with the tooth roots as eruption proceeds. The correct sequence begins with anesthesia and isolation to keep the field sterile and comfortable, then access to reach the canals, followed by cleaning and shaping to remove diseased tissue and prepare the space, and thorough irrigation to flush out debris and microbes. The canals are then obturated with a resorbable paste such as a zinc oxide eugenol–based or calcium hydroxide–based paste, so the filling can disappear in step with root resorption; using nonresorbable materials like gutta-percha in primary teeth can interfere with eruption. Finally, seal and restore the tooth and monitor the resorption process over time. The other options describe either vital pulp therapies or extraction, or suggest gutta-percha obturation, which is not ideal for pulpectomy in primary dentition.