Patient- and treatment-related factors may influence the longevity of primary teeth restorations in high caries-risk children: A university-based retrospective study

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the longevity and factors associated with failure of primary teeth restorations placed in high caries-risk children.

Methods: The sample was comprised of children treated in a University Dental Service. Patients' records were screened retrospectively to determine whether they had received restorative treatment in primary teeth presenting cavitated caries lesions. Kaplan-Meier estimator and Multivariate Cox regression analysis with shared frailty were used to assess restorations' survival and factors associated with failure, respectively.

Results: 123 high caries-risk children (10.3±4 DMF-T) with 316 restorations were analyzed. The 3-year survival reached 53.4% (AFR=18.8%). Restorations placed without rubber dam (P= 0.04), over selective caries removal (P= 0.03), with calcium hydroxide liner (P< 0.01) and glass-ionomer cement (P= 0.04) presented lower survival rates. Caries-controlled patients presented significantly (P= 0.03) higher rates of restoration survival (77.7%) than caries-active patients (49.9%). The adjusted model showed that restorations placed in teeth after selective caries removal showed 3.41 times higher risk of failure compared with restorations over complete caries removal (95%CI:1.37-8.46).

Clinical significance: Adhesive restorations placed in high-caries experience patients have limited survival rates. Some treatment-related factors may influence the performance of these restorations. A strict preventive regimen to control dental caries activity must be followed in order to increase the restoration survival.