Caries severity declined besides persistent untreated primary teeth over a 22-year period: Trends among children in Goiânia, Brazil

Recommended procedures for the management of early childhood caries lesions - a scoping review by the Children Experiencing Dental Anxiety: Collaboration on Research and Education (CEDACORE)

BACKGROUND

Early childhood caries (ECC) affects millions of children up to 6 years old. Its treatment positively impacts the quality of life of children and their families. However, there is no consensus on how to treat ECC. Thus, we performed a scoping review to identify the recommended procedures for the management of ECC lesions.

METHODS

A search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, The Cochrane Library, The International Guideline Library and pediatric dentistry associations around the world were contacted by email for unpublished search documents. ECC guidelines/guidance/policies were considered eligible regardless of language and publication date.

RESULTS

From a total of 828 references, 52 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility and 22 included in the scoping review. We found different procedures recommendations for the management of ECC lesions. For incipient lesions, minimally invasive methods such as professional fluoride and cariostatic (silver diamine) applications, as well as surveillance were recommended. If restoration was required, the recommended materials were glass ionomer cement, composite resin, amalgam and stainless-steel crown. Interim restorations and Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART) were also recommended. Extractions have been suggested for teeth with lesions with pulpal involvement, depending on the child's behaviour and other clinical conditions.

CONCLUSIONS

Non-operative procedures, restorative and extraction were recommended for the management of ECC, depending on the extent of the lesions. There is no difference between different management guidelines/guidance/policies for ECC lesions.

The effect of pulp inflammation and premature extraction of primary molars on the successor permanent teeth. A retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Untreated caries on primary molars often leads to pulp inflammation and extraction.

AIM

To retrospectively investigate the effect of pulp inflammation and extraction of primary molars on their successors regarding alignment in the dental arch and developmental enamel defects (DED).

DESIGN

The participants in this study were children at public schools in Petropolis (Brazil), who participated in a 3-year longitudinal clinical trial. Children (N = 44) were selected for the present study if they had at least one erupted premolar of which the predecessor primary molar presented pulp inflammation at baseline or during any of the 6-month follow-up assessments. All premolars were examined for DED and misalignment. Distinction was made between extraction performed before (E <8) or after the age of 8 years (E ≥8). Distinction was also made between pulp inflammation occurred before (P < 7) or after the age of 7 years (P ≥ 7). A logistic regression analysis was performed, and the odds ratio was calculated.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

Misalignment occurred more frequently in E <8 as compared to E ≥8 (OR = 2.85; P = .03). There was no significant difference in DED between P < 7 and P ≥ 7.

CONCLUSION

Misalignment of premolars occurs more frequently when the predecessor primary molars are extracted before the age of 8 years.