LEEDS, UK: Though the role of dental fillings in the treatment of dental caries in permanent dentition is well established, the same cannot be said about primary dentition, as their usefulness is still debatable. A new study has cast further doubt on their role, suggesting that there is no evidence that conventional fillings are more effective in stopping the progress of caries in children.
The multicenter randomized controlled trial compared the clinical effectiveness of three treatment strategies for a length of over 3 years for managing dental caries in primary teeth. Participants aged 3 to 7 years with at least one primary molar with dentinal carious lesion were randomly allocated across the three treatment groups.
This study called the FiCTION (Filling Children’s Teeth: Indicated or Not) trial studied 1,144 children residing in the UK by assigning each participant randomly to one of the three treatment options: the standard “drill and fill” approach, which involves drilling out the decayed tissue; a minimally invasive approach of sealing the caries under a metal crown or filling; and the avoidance of any fillings being placed while also emphasising a reduction in sugar intake and the necessity of taking greater care of the child’s oral health. The duration of the trial lasted up to three years for some children. On comparison, there were no significant differences in the outcomes between the three treatment groups. 450 participants reported that they continued to experience further caries and pain.
“Our study shows that each way of treating decay worked to a similar level but that children who get tooth decay at a young age have a high chance of experiencing toothache and abscesses regardless of the way the dentist manages the decay,” said Prof. Nicola Innes, chair of paediatric dentistry at the University of Dundee School of Dentistry and lead author of the study.
“What is absolutely clear from our trial is that the best way to manage tooth decay is not by drilling it out or sealing it in—it’s by preventing it in the first place,” Innes added.
The study, titled “Child caries management: A randomized controlled trial in dental practice”, was published online on 26 November 2019 in the Journal of Dental Research, ahead of inclusion in an issue.
Tags:
SEOUL, South Korea: Dental implants are a key treatment for tooth loss, but can cause a variety of complications. One such complication is osteonecrosis, ...
UMEÅ, Sweden: Researchers from the Institute of Odontology at Umeå University in Sweden collaborated with the Bristol Dental School in the UK, in the ...
PHILADELPHIA, US: It was previously believed that Streptococcus mutans was the main microorganism responsible for dental caries. However, in a recent study,...
Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is a significant concern. Geo-maps have been extensively used abroad for presenting epidemiological data based on caries risk. ...
PHILADELPHIA, U.S.: Some young children experience severe dental caries that resists normal therapies. According to a recent study carried out by ...
“The greatest education in the world is watching the masters at work.” With this monthly column, we aim to interview Endodontists and Restorative ...
BRUSSELS, Belgium/BIRMINGHAM, UK: Treat your gums” is the slogan for Gum Health Day 2022, a worldwide awareness campaign organised by the European ...
BENGALURU – "PEDO CARIE Exploring ECC" is the theme of the 14th Indian Society of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry National Postgraduate...
The first data on dental fillings that can actively repair tooth decay as presented by Professor Robert Hill, who is the Chair of Physical Sciences at the ...
Live webinar
Thu. 2 October 2025
6:30 pm IST (New Delhi)
Live webinar
Mon. 6 October 2025
10:00 pm IST (New Delhi)
Live webinar
Tue. 7 October 2025
10:00 pm IST (New Delhi)
Prof. Dr. Falk Schwendicke MDPH
Live webinar
Thu. 9 October 2025
5:30 pm IST (New Delhi)
Dr. Priyantha Pang Lee Yek
Live webinar
Fri. 10 October 2025
2:30 pm IST (New Delhi)
Prof. Dr. Dr. Florian Stelzle
Live webinar
Fri. 10 October 2025
11:30 pm IST (New Delhi)
Live webinar
Wed. 15 October 2025
4:30 am IST (New Delhi)
Prof. Dr. Wael Att, Dr. Robert A. Levine DDS, FCPP, FISPPS, AOD
To post a reply please login or register