Here are some key points about formocresol:

1. Usage: Formocresol is commonly used in pediatric dentistry for pulpotomy procedures, which involve the partial removal of the dental pulp in primary teeth.
2. Composition: Formocresol is a combination of formaldehyde, cresol, and glycerin. It has antimicrobial and fixative properties.
3. Pulpotomy: In a pulpotomy procedure, formocresol is typically applied to the remaining pulp tissue after the removal of the coronal pulp. It is used to fix and preserve the remaining vital tissue, allowing for the placement of a suitable material (such as zinc oxide eugenol) to seal the pulp chamber.
4. Caution: Formocresol contains formaldehyde, which is a strong fixative and disinfectant but should be used with caution due to its potential cytotoxicity. The use of formocresol has raised some concerns, and alternative materials are sometimes considered.
5. Alternatives: In recent years, alternative materials and techniques have been explored for pulp therapy in primary teeth, with an emphasis on materials that are less cytotoxic. Calcium hydroxide and mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) are examples of materials that have been used as alternatives to formocresol in certain cases.