Comparative evaluation of clinical and radiographic success of titanium nitride coated stainless steel crowns and stainless steel crowns in primary molars: A Randomized Controlled Study

Dental caries is one of the widespread medical conditions in adults and children. According to WHO Oral Health facts, more than 530 million children suffer from dental caries of primary teeth. The management of multi-surface carious primary molar is challenging to clinician, there are variety of materials such as amalgam, composites, and stainless steel crowns (SSC’s) used to reconstruct the carious teeth. SSC’s are widely used and are very popular in pediatric dentistry due to its superiority and durability compared to multi surface amalgam restorations. However, the disadvantage is poor esthetics and perforation rate of approximately 2%. Titanium nitride coated stainless steel crowns (TiNC’s) is newly introduced, which have golden colour and its hardness have been proposed to be better than that of conventional SSC’s. It is also esthetically more appreciated by parents. Titanium is widely used in Medical and Dentistry, with high success rates, due to its high corrosion resistance, low toxicity, very low allergic potential and biocompatibility. The introduction of TiNCs has broadened the range of options for posterior teeth restoration.1 Titanium nitride coating makes the crown appear yellow/golden color, it tends to attract children’s attention and seemed to be more likeable. However no long-term studies are available regarding TiNCs. It is important to assess gingival health, oral hygiene status of the teeth restored with SSC’s and TiNC’s. Keeping in mind the paucity of literature, this study is designed to explore the clinical and radiographic success, gingival health and plaque accumulation of TiNC’s against SSC’s in primary molars.