Managing Early Childhood Caries: A Comparative Review of Preventive and Restorative Approaches

Abstract

Early childhood caries (ECC), one of the most common health problems among children aged six years and below, is considered present when one or more surfaces of a tooth are decayed, missing, or filled. Not only does ECC cause pain for a long time, but it also has short- and long-term health consequences in children. In order to treat ECC, holistic management that includes preventive, restorative, and prosthetic intervention is necessary. This review, a key aspect of which is preventive strategy, stresses the need to lessen the rate of incidence of such conditions as ECC. In case preventive measures do not work, restorative care is considered. The paper discusses all of the available restoration options for paediatric patients. Furthermore, this review includes a detailed analysis of the different types of crowns used in the treatment of ECC, such as stainless-steel crowns (SSCs), resin-composite crowns, and zirconia crowns, and considers their advantages and disadvantages relevant to clinical practice. Overall, this article calls for a well-rounded approach to treating the child's dental cavity as an emerging progression of ECC. Through this interdisciplinary approach, dentists can significantly enhance oral health among children and help prevent the negative impact of caries on their quality of life.

Keywords: early childhood caries; oral hygiene education; pediatric oral health; restorative techniques; silver diamine fluoride.