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

: Wuollet E, Tseveenjav B, Furuholm J, Waltimo-Siren J, Valen H, Mulic A, Ansteinsson V, Uhlen MM

Publisher: ARIESDUE SRL

: 2020

: European Journal of Paediatric Dentistry

: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRIC DENTISTRY

: EUR J PAEDIATR DENT

: 21

: 1

: 29

: 34

: 6

: 1591-996X

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23804/EJPD.2020.21.01.06

Aim 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).Methods 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).Results 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.Conclusions Although the respondents emphasised patient cooperation, but also tooth prognosis and material strength behind their treatment decisions, SSC was an uncommon choice.