Restorative approaches to treat dentin caries in preschool children: systematic review

Abstract

AIM: Dental restorations have long been used for the management of early childhood caries, but there is a need to have an evidence based approach when selecting the most appropriate restorative intervention to treat dentin caries in preschool children. This systematic review aimed to assess the effectiveness of restorative treatments of dentin caries in primary teeth in preschool children. METHODS: Design: A systematic search of the main electronic databases (Pubmed, Cochrane Collaboration, EMBASE) was conducted to identify peer reviewed papers published in English in the years 1947-2014. Search keywords and MeSH headings were "dental caries", "primary dentition" and "dental restoration". The inclusion criteria were clinical studies conducted in children under 6 years old, and reported findings on the longevity or failure of restorations in primary teeth. Retrieved papers were read by two reviewers independently to assess suitability for inclusion, and the final decision was made by consensus. The quality of the included studies was assessed and data were extracted for analysis. CONCLUSION: Within the limitation of this systematic review, there is insufficient evidence to make recommendations regarding which material and technique is the most appropriate for restorative treatment in young children. Minimally invasive approaches are advantageous in operative caries management in primary teeth in preschool children. More well-designed randomised controlled trials are required to confirm these findings.