Iran J Pediatr. 2017 June; 27(3):e9272. doi: 10.5812/ijp.9272.

Published online 2017 January 24. Letter

Stainless Steel Crowns in Pediatric Restorative Dentistry: Applications

and Advantages
Nahid
1
Ramazani1,*
Children and Adolescents Health Research Center, Oral and Dental Disease Research Center, Pediatric Dentistry Department, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences,
Zahedan, IR Iran
*
Corresponding author: Nahid Ramazani, Children and Adolescents Health Research Center, Oral and Dental Disease Research Center, Pediatric Dentistry Department,
Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, IR Iran. Tel: +98-9155009085; +98-5433414005, E-mail: [email protected]

Received 2016 October 06; Revised 2016 November 23; Accepted 2017 January 10.

Keywords: Crown, Pediatric Dentistry, Tooth

Dear Editor, the interface between the tooth and the material (8). How-
Many children suffer from dental caries as the most ever, this drawback is not critical, compared to various ad-
common infectious disease (1-3). Consequently, proper vantages of crowns. In general, restoration cannot jeopar-
dental restoration is one of the most critical issues in pe- dize the treatment and guarantees the life span of primary
diatric dentistry. Stainless steel crowns (SSCs) are charac- teeth.
terized by full crown coverage and increased caries pre- Parental satisfaction plays a fundamental role in den-
vention through protecting the entire tooth; they are also tal health care. Esthetically, parents may not consent
more durable than multi-surface amalgam restorations to a crown-included treatment plan; therefore, dentists
(4). SSCs are prefabricated shells in different sizes, com- can alleviate their concern by explaining the benefits of
posed of metals such as iron, nickel, and chromium. SSCs. Children also agree with their parents and accept
Despite major advancements in the development of the plan by receiving proper and age-appropriate informa-
modalities in pediatric dentistry (such as laser technology) tion from the parents. To mask the metallic appearance
(5), there are certain circumstances which necessitate the of crowns, a modification, called pre-veneered SSC, is avail-
application of SSCs. In general, crowns are routinely used able. These crowns have a composite-bonded veneer to pro-
for restoring pulp-treated teeth. The concept of full cover- duce a more pleasant appearance, although they require
age is to eliminate the risk of breaking tooth to buccal and more preparation and are more expensive.
lingual halves due to reduced dentin strength. The high cost of SSCs is another reason for rejecting
Another indication of SSCs is dental treatment under this restoration method; in this regard, cost-effectiveness
general anesthesia. In dental rehabilitation under gen- should be taken into account. Accordingly, dentists have
eral anesthesia, the approach is to restore teeth more with to explain that restorations other than SSCs may result in
SSCs and less with other dental materials (4). Children good outcomes for only one-surface or two-surface restora-
with hypophosphatemia, who develop spontaneous den- tions. Parents should be also informed that although SSCs
tal abscesses, are also among cases requiring SSCs (6). are more expensive compared to other restorations, treat-
Other indications include heritable dental defects, such as ment is certainly worth the cost.
amelogenesis imperfecta, dentinogenesis imperfecta, and Studies have measured post-treatment pain following
environmentally-induced defects such as enamel hypopla- dental treatments (9). In fact, immediate post-treatment
sia. pain and discomfort are inevitable consequences of SSCs.
In pediatric dentistry, the strategy is to deliver efficient It has been revealed that SSCs cause significantly more
treatment and simultaneously reduce the time of opera- discomfort than extraction in patients (10). Nevertheless,
tion (7). Application of SSCs reduces the time of operation post-operative pain can be well controlled by pain killers.
and promotes the child’s cooperation. In fact, compared to
other restoration methods, SSCs placement is less disturb-
ing for the patient. References
Despite various advantages of crowns, microleakage
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spect to the extent of trace material (eg, dye) penetration in gate, Calcium-Enriched Mixture and Biodentine as Furcation Perfora-

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original work is properly cited.
 Ramazani N

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