UCSF

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the survival probabilities of stainless steel crowns, resin strip crowns, and zirconia crowns when used to restore the primary maxillary incisors on children diagnosed with early childhood caries at 12, 24, and 36 months. Two hundred and forty-one patients who received either a stainless steel crown, resin strip crown, or zirconia crown under general anesthesia participated in the study (n=241). Data included age, health status, presence of pulp treatment, date of initial treatment, clinical findings, radiographic findings, and type of failure (defined as extraction, or re-treatment of previously treated tooth). Descriptive statistics were performed, and Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to estimate survival probabilities of each restoration type over time. Cox-proportional hazard ratios were used to compare risk of zirconia crown failure with the other restoration types. The overall survival probabilities for zirconia crowns at 12, 24, and 36 months were 65%, 48%, and 35%, respectively. Zirconia crowns demonstrated lower survival probabilities over 36 months compared with stainless steel crowns and resin strip crowns. These findings prompt our dental team to re-visit how we treatment plan for these restorations, improve our standard operating procedure, and find other ways we can improve their prognosis.