317 - Lifespan of Protective Restorations with and without Permanent Molar Bands

Purpose: Large carious lesions on young or hypoplastic permanent teeth are often restored with protective restorations, but these teeth are more prone to fracture and recurrent decay. This study analyzes factors associated with the success and failure of protective restorations with bands as an alternative for vulnerable permanent molars.

Methods: This exploratory and retrospective study reviewed electronic dental records from the UCLA Children's Dental Clinic. The inclusion criteria included permanent molars with hypoplastic or deep carious lesions (≥50% of dentin thickness). The study included 100 permanent molars: 50 with protective restorations alone and 50 with protective restorations and bands (PR&B). Chi-squared tests will identify associations related to the longevity of dental restorations and bands.

Results: Forty-seven teeth restored with protective restorations and bands (PR&B) were preliminary analyzed. The average age of the subjects whose molars were included was 11.2 years old, ranging from 8.3 to 17.7 years. Hypomineralization was observed in 26/47 teeth (55.3%). Reasons for band placement included fracture prevention in 25/47 teeth (53.2%), with only 6/25 (24.0%) bands placed after restorative completion. Recurrent caries accounted for 9/47 cases (19.1%), defective restorations for 2/47 (4.3%), and a combination of recurrent caries and defective restorations for 6/47 (12.8%). 

Conclusions: The use of molar bands and temporizations is predicted to enhance the effectiveness of tooth-saving approaches.

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