Preferential Use of Stainless Steel Crowns as a Strategy to Minimize Retreatment of Primary Molars under General Anesthesia.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether primary molars treated with composite resins (CRs) and stainless steel crowns (SSCs) during an oral rehabilitation under general anesthesia (GA1) required retreatment at a second oral rehabilitation under GA (GA2). Records were examined from 296 healthy patients with more than one dental rehabilitation under general anesthesia from June 2012 to January 2019. Data included treatment details and demographic information. Frequencies and means were recorded. An analysis was completed using logistic regression and chi-square for categorical variables. For primary first molars, 43 percent of CRs placed at GA1 were treated with SSCs at GA2. For primary second molars, 35 percent of CRs placed at GA1 were treated with SSCs at GA2. There was no statistically significant difference in retreatment rates by molar type (P equals 0.27). Eight percent of SSCs placed on any molar at GA1 required retreatment at GA2. Primary molars treated with stainless steel crowns using general anesthesia had the lowest percentage of retreatment compared to those treated with composite resins. Strong consideration should be given to the placement of SSCs on primary molars in patients with early childhood caries under general anesthesia. Placement of primary molar SSCs during initial treatment under general anesthesia may reduce the need for additional treatment in the future.