The longevity of different restorations in primary teeth.
OBJECTIVE
This paper reviews three published papers and adds results from a fourth study which aimed to determine which restorative material would be the best alternative(s) to amalgam (AM) in primary teeth.


METHODS
All studies had a practice-based design and were part of the routine treatment of children and adolescents. The clinicians were assigned which materials to use in a randomised matter in the first three studies which lasted for 7-8 years. In the fourth study conducted 4 years after the initial studies, the clinicians were free to select the restorative materials.


CONCLUSIONS
Resin modified glass ionomer (RMGI) and compomer (COM) restorations showed similar longevity compared with AM, whereas conventional GI restorations showed significantly shorter longevity. The studies indicated that the 'new and improved' materials based on in vitro tests did not always show enhanced clinical properties. In the last study, where clinicians freely selected the restorative materials they used in their practices, seven used COM, one used conventional GI materials and one used a combination of the two types of material.
Qvist
Vibeke
V
Department of Cariology and Endodontics, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Poulsen
Agneta
A
Teglers
Poul Thorpen
PT
Mjör
Ivar A
IA
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D020770:Compomers / Q000737:chemistry; D003723:Dental Amalgam / Q000737:chemistry; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control; D003737:Dental Cavity Preparation / Q000145:classification; D003764:Dental Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005899:Glass Ionomer Cements / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D019279:Resin Cements / Q000737:chemistry; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000473:pathology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D020770:Compomers; D003764:Dental Materials; D005899:Glass Ionomer Cements; D019279:Resin Cements; D003723:Dental Amalgam