Effectiveness of a simplified method (Hall’s Technique) of managing caries primary molar teeth in young children using preformed metal crowns.

Stainless steel crowns have beenrecommended in the literature as restorative material of choice in primarymolars with multi surface caries involvement, following pulp therapy and inchildren at high risk of dental caries. It has been considered most costeffective since they don’t require frequent replacement. Generally stainlesssteel crowns are considered in the following situation: high risk patients withsingle surface/ multi surface caries/ demineralization under eight years ofage; after pulp therapy; teeth with extreme wear facets and more than two yearsbefore exfoliation. Despite SSC being recommended as the ideal restoration formanaging primary molar where caries involves two or more surfaces and evidenceof their effectiveness, SSC are not widely used. The standard techniques involvestooth preparation under local anesthesia which was not widely accepted by thepreschool children. This lead to a novel simplified method of using SSC, theHall Technique being investigated. This method uses SSC which are filled withAntidecay cement (GIC) and simply pushed onto the tooth with no caries removalor tooth preparation. Efficient sealing / cementing enhances the success ofrestoration by preventing bacterial ingress and further progress of the lesion.With the Hall Technique, the process of fitting the crown is quick andnon-invasive. The crown is seated over the tooth with no caries removal ortooth preparation of any kind, and local anesthesia is not required. By doing this technique there willbe no impact to developing tooth, if any caries left untreated which will haveimpact over the developing permanent tooth, so based on the extend of thecaries they need to be treated either as restoration or with SSC. There is norisk for doing this procedure in children, this makes the child morecomfortable for the procedure.