What’s new for the clinician– summaries of recently published papers

Abstract

More than 90% of the world’s population suffer from one or more oral conditions that affects their oral health related quality of life. Edentulism (partial or full) is a major public health problem especially in poorer settings where people have limited options to manage tooth pain, tooth decay or periodontal disease. Often the only treatment option available is tooth extraction resulting in early tooth loss. In other settings, for example, the Western Cape, cultural and traditional norms practiced over generations has resulted in some of the highest edentulism rates in the world.

Placement of a stainless steel crown (SSC) is the most commonly recommended restoration following endodontic treatment of primary molars,1 as it provides a good coronal seal, preventing microbial infiltration or restoration failure over time. However, dental aesthetics are compromised due to colour characteristics of the SSCs, which may influence child's and parent's acceptance, especially when compared to more aesthetic options such as composite resins (CRs).