Factors influencing dentists' choice of amalgam and tooth-colored restorative materials for Class II preparations in younger patients.
OBJECTIVE
To identify factors associated with dentists' decisions on choice of restorative material in children and adolescents.


METHODS
In the period 2001-2004, 27 dentists in the Public Dental Health Service in Norway placed 4030 Class II restorations in 1912 patients. The reason for placement, previous caries experience (DMFT), oral hygiene, and characteristics of the cavity were recorded.


RESULTS
The most frequently used material was resin composite (81.5%), followed by compomer (12.7%), amalgam (4.6%), and glass ionomer cement (1.2%). Tooth-colored restorations were more frequently placed than amalgam in younger patients (p=0.017). Female patients received fewer amalgam restorations than male patients (p=0.006). Amalgam was more often used in patients with high DMFT (p<0.001) and more commonly in treatment of deeper dentine caries than caries near the dentino-enamel border (p=0.021). Amalgam was more frequently placed in molars than in premolars (p<0.001). In a logistic regression model, gender, DMFT, caries severity, and tooth type were significantly related to choice of material.


CONCLUSIONS
Dentists' choices of restorative material indicate that the majority prefer amalgam in more challenging restorations with respect to caries activity, lesion depth, and tooth type. The findings indicate that in a period when the use of amalgam was phasing out, resin composite was the predominant material of choice for Class II restorations in children and adolescents.
Vidnes-Kopperud
Simen
S
Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Blindern, Norway. simen.vidnes-kopperud@odont.uio.no
Tveit
Anne Bjørg
AB
Gaarden
Torunn
T
Sandvik
Leiv
L
Espelid
Ivar
I
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002755:Choice Behavior; D020770:Compomers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003188:Composite Resins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004245:DMF Index; D003657:Decision Making; D003723:Dental Amalgam / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019140:Dental Care for Children / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000628:therapy*; D003737:Dental Cavity Preparation / Q000379:methods; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000145:classification / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005899:Glass Ionomer Cements / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D019239:Practice Patterns, Dentists' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D020770:Compomers; D003188:Composite Resins; D005899:Glass Ionomer Cements; D003723:Dental Amalgam