Caries activity and the presence of adjacent caries lesions on resin composite restorations in primary teeth.

PURPOSE: To clinically evaluate the status of caries lesions adjacent to restorations (AdjCL) in primary molars, and its relationship to the child's carious activity and marginal restoration integrity. METHODS: Three independent examiners (trained, calibrated and blinded) evaluated 64 randomly selected restorations (occlusal and occluso-proximal) by the AdjCL status (kappa = 0.844), the restoration marginal integrity (kappa = 1) and the radiographic presence of lesions in the occlusal restoration margins (kappa = 1). One of the examiners also evaluated the child's carious activity (kappa = 1). The variables were related to the outcome through Chi-square and Fisher's Exact analysis (alpha = 5%). RESULTS: A prevalence of 40.63% AdjCL (88.46% inactive) was seen, with no significant association to the child's carious activity (P = 0.23). The association of the absence of AdjCL and the presence of marginal integrity was statistically significant (P = 0.013). Also, the presence of AdjCL occurred especially around older restorations (P = 0.044).