Key Points
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British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD) guidelines recommend that preformed stainless steel crowns should be the restoration of choice.
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Data from the Dental Practice Board demonstrate that across England and Wales GDPs rarely provide this type of treatment.
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In this study, GDPs practising in the North West of England explain their reasons for not routinely providing preformed crowns.
Abstract
Aim To ascertain general dental practitioners' views on the use of stainless steel (pre-formed metal) crowns to restore carious primary molars.
Method Ninety-three general dental practitioners were selected at random from those practising in Lancashire, Cheshire and Greater Manchester in 2003 and interviewed separately about the clinical care they provide to the primary dentition. Before the interview participants recorded the care they would provide for a case scenario, describing a child with a carious lesion that the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD) guidelines indicate should be treated with a stainless steel crown.
Results In answering the case scenario only six (7%) of the dentists reported that they would fit a stainless steel crown. Of the 93 dentists interviewed 71% knew of the BSPD guidelines, but only 18% had ever fitted a stainless steel crown in general practice. Reasons given for not using stainless steel crowns were they are inappropriate for many children, time consuming to fit, difficult to manipulate, expensive, and ugly.
Conclusion The BSPD guidelines on the use of stainless steel crowns do not reflect the views of the majority of general dental practitioners who consider these crowns unsuitable for most children and an impractical restorative technique in busy daily practice.
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Acknowledgements
This study was funded through a health services research project grant from the Wellcome Trust and approved by North West Multi-Centre Research Ethics Committee. The authors are indebted to the dental practitioners and their staff who participated in the study.
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Threlfall, A., Pilkington, L., Milsom, K. et al. General dental practitioners' views on the use of stainless steel crowns to restore primary molars. Br Dent J 199, 453–455 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.4812746
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.4812746
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