Effectiveness, Costs and Patient Acceptance of a Conventional and a Biological Treatment Approach for Carious Primary Teeth in Children

Abstract

Background: Over the last years, conventional restorations for the treatment of active carious lesions (CL) in primary teeth have been challenged and a more biological approach has been suggested. This approach involves less invasive techniques that alter the environment of the CL isolating it from the cariogenic biofilm and substrate.

Aim: To investigate the cost-effectiveness and patient acceptance of 2 treatment approaches for the treatment of deep CLs in primary teeth in children.

Methods: This was a retrospective/prospective cohort study carried out in 2 UK specialist hospital settings. Data on cost-effectiveness was extracted retrospectively from clinical dental records of 246 patients aged 4-9 years. A prospective study design was used to explore patient acceptance of the 2 treatment approaches. One hundred and ten patients aged 4-9 years and their carers completed 2 questionnaires on treatment acceptance.

Results: In total, 836 primary teeth that had received treatment with either approach were included. More than 2 thirds (75.7%) of the restorations in the conventional approach were of non-selective removal to hard dentine followed by pulpotomy (24.3%). In the biological approach, most of the restorations were stainless steel crowns placed with the Hall Technique (95%) followed by selective removal to firm dentine (5%). The majority of the primary teeth remained asymptomatic after a follow-up period of up to 77 months; 95.3% in the conventional and 95.8% in the biological arm. When the treatment costs were analysed, a statistically significant difference was found between the mean costs of the 2 approaches with a mean difference of GBP 45.20 (Pound Sterling; p < 0.001), in favour of the biological approach. The majority of the children and carers were happy with the conventional or biological restorations.

Conclusion: Although both approaches had similar successful outcomes, the biological approach consisting mainly of Hall Technique was associated with reduced treatment costs. Both approaches were accepted favourably by the children and carers.

Keywords: Biological treatment; Conventional treatment; Cost-effectiveness; Dental caries; Primary teeth; Treatment acceptance.