Restorative material choices for extensive carious lesions and hypomineralisation defects in children: a questionnaire survey among Finnish dentists

• Published in: European journal of paediatric dentistry Vol. 21; no. 1; p. 29
• Main Authors: Wuollet, E, Tseveenjav, B, Furuholm, J, Waltimo-Sirén, J, Valen, H, Mulic, A, Ansteinsson, V, Uhlen, M-M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Italy 01-03-2020
• Subjects: Child; Dental Caries; Dental Restoration, Permanent; Dentists; Finland; Humans; Practice Patterns, Dentists; Surveys and Questionnaires; Finland
• ISSN: 2035-648X
• DOI: 10.23804/EJPD.2020.21.01.06

This survey assessed Finnish dentists' treatment decisions and choices of restorative materials in selected paediatric dental patient cases, with special emphasis on stainless steel crowns (SSCs).
A questionnaire with patient descriptions and tooth photographs was e-mailed to members of Finnish Dental Society (n=3,747). The respondents were asked to choose their preferred treatment in cases describing 1) extensive occlusal carious lesion in a primary molar of a cooperative child; 2) an identical lesion, treated under dental general anaesthesia (DGA); and 3) a symptomatic first permanent molar with enamel hypomineralisation (consistent with Molar-Incisor Hypomineralization, MIH) and post-eruptive breakdown. Only responses from dentist treating children were included (final n=765).
The majority (47.3%) would have preferred restoration of the extensive primary tooth caries in a normal setting using resin-modified glassionomer cement, and 4.3% by using SSC. The preference of SSC as treatment choice increased to 25.4% upon implementation of DGA. The majority would treat the symptomatic permanent MIH molar with a resin composite restoration (45.0%), while 10.5% suggested SSC. Compared to general dentists, paediatric dentists had a stronger preference for SSCs.
Although the respondents emphasised patient cooperation, but also tooth prognosis and material strength behind their treatment decisions, SSC was an uncommon choice.