Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Clinical
  • Published:

Preformed Metal Crowns: A restoration of choice for primary molars

BDJ Student volume 32, pages 82–85 (2025)Cite this article

Access through your institution
Buy or subscribe

Paediatric patients often have a short window of cooperation, so treatments benefit from being quick and minimally technique-sensitive, with good longevity. Despite preformed metal crowns (PMCs) fulfilling these criteria, they are underutilised in some countries1 and could be used more by general dentists in the UK. Potential reasons for underutilisation of PMCs include the aesthetics of the crowns, lack of confidence surrounding crown placement, and difficulties with adjustment.1

Dental caries is the most prevalent, chronic, childhood disease, despite being largely preventable. It remains the leading cause of hospital admission for children aged 5 to 9, which places considerable financial burden on the NHS. Furthermore, when children require extractions under general anaesthesia, there is a rare risk of mortality.2

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Access through your institution

References

  1. Uhlen M M, Tseveenjav B, Wuollet E, et al. Stainless-steel crowns in children: Norwegian and Finish dentists' knowledge, practice and challenges. BMC Oral Health 2021; 190:1-9.

  2. Knapp R, Marshman Z, Rodd H. Treatment of dental caries under general anaesthetic in children. BDJ Team 2017; 4: 17116.

  3. UK Government. Oral health survey of 5-year-old schoolchildren 2024. National Dental Epidemiology Programme (NDEP) for England. London: Department of Health and Social Care, 2024.

  4. Scottish Learning Disabilities Observatory. Inequalities in oral health and access to dental services in children and young people with learning disabilities. 2022. Online information available at https://sldo.ac.uk/our-research/determinants-of-health-and-inequalities-research/oral-health/inequalities-in-oral-health-and-access-to-dental-services-in-children-and-young-people-with-learning-disabilities/ (accessed March 2025).

  5. Çolak H, Dülgergil C T, Dalli M, Hamidi M M. Early childhood caries update: A review of causes, diagnoses, and treatments. J Nat Sci Biol Med 2013; 4:29-38.

  6. Pine C M, Harris R V, Burnside G, Merrett M C W. An investigation of the relationship between untreated decayed teeth and dental sepsis in 5-year-old children. Br Dent J 2006; 200: 45-47.

  7. Manas D, Carly D, Jones P, Stephen C, Siobhan B. Space maintenance in the mixed dentition - a necessary intervention or a step too far?. Dent Update 2020; 47: 54-60.

  8. Sheiham A. Dental caries affects body weight, growth and quality of life in pre-school children. Br Dent J 2006; 201: 625-626.

  9. Van Beek G C. Dental Morphology an illustrated Guide. 2nd ed. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1983.

  10. 3M. Stainless steel crowns. 2022. Online information available at (accessed March 2025).

  11. Ram D, Fuks A B, Eidelman E. Long-term clinical performance of esthetic primary molar crowns. J Paediatr Dent 2003; 25: 582-584.

  12. Rogers H, Batley H A, Deery C. An overview of preformed metal crowns part: conventional technique. Dent Update 2015; 42: 933-938.

  13. Health Education England. The hall technique: A child centred approach to managing the carious primary molar: A users manual. Online information available at https://heeoe.hee.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/1311845532_nqvh_the_hall_technique_manual.pdf (accessed March 2025).

  14. Ricketts D, Lamont T, Innes N PT, Kidd E, Clarkson J E. Operative caries management in adults and children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2013; Available from: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003808.pub3/full (accessed March 2025).

  15. Chua R D, Tan B L, Nazzal H, Srinivasan N, Duggal M S, Tong H J. Outcomes of preformed metal crowns placed with the conventional and hall techniques: a systemic review and meta-analysis. Int J Paed Dent 2022; 33: 141-157.

  16. Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme. Caries management in primary teeth. 2025. Online information available at https://www.childcaries.sdcep.org.uk/guidance/caries-management-in-primary-teeth/ (accessed March 2025).

  17. Nazzal H, Duggal M S. Restorative management of dental enamel defects in the primary dentition. Clin Dent Rev 2018; 3:1-7.

  18. Baldwin D, Williams A, McColl E. Top tips for paediatric dentistry - part 3: operative care, stainless steel crowns and management of molar incisor hypomineralisation. Br Dent J 2022; 232: 764-765.

  19. Dentsply Sirona. AquaCem. 2024. Online information available at https://www.dentsplysirona.com/en-gb/shop/product-page.html/R-BP-1000186037/aquacem.html (accessed March 2025).

  20. Dentsply Sirona. Poly-F Plus. 2024. Online information available at https://www.dentsplysirona.com/en-gb/shop/product-page.html/R-BP-1000186036/poly-f-plus.html (accessed March 2025).

  21. GC America. GC FujiCEM 2. 2025. Online information available at https://www.gc.dental/america/products/operatory/cements/gc-fujicem-2 (accessed March 2025).

  22. Innes N P T, Evans D J P, Stirrups D R. Sealing caries in primary molars: randomized control trial, 5-year results. J Dent Res 2011; 90: 1405-1410.

  23. Randall R C, Vrijhoef M M, Wilson N H. Efficacy of preformed metal crowns vs. amalgam restorations in primary molars: a systematic review. J Am Dent Assoc 2000; 131: 337-343.

  24. Innes N PT, Evans D J P, Stirrups D R. The Hall Technique; a randomized controlled clinical trial of a novel method of managing carious primary molars in general dental practice: acceptability of the technique and outcomes at 23 months. BMC Oral Health 2007; 7: 18.

  25. Innes N PT, Ricketts D, Chong L Y, Keightley A J, Lamont T, Santamaria R M. Preformed crowns for decayed primary molar teeth. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2015.

  26. Patel R V, Thikkurissy S, Schwartz S B, Gosnell E S, Sun Q, Cully J L. Preferential use of stainless steel crowns as a strategy to minimise retreatment of primary molars under general anaesthesia. J Paediatr Dent 2021; 43: 24-27.

Download references

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Dr Nicky Kilpatrick for her review of the manuscript and provision of some of the images.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Peninsula Dental School, Plymouth, United Kingdom

    Molly Langford

Authors
  1. Molly Langford
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Molly Langford.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Langford, M. Preformed Metal Crowns: A restoration of choice for primary molars. BDJ Student 32, 82–85 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41406-025-1509-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41406-025-1509-9

Search

Advanced search

Quick links