Clinical and radiographic outcomes of partial caries removal restorations performed in primary teeth

PURPOSE: To analyze the outcomes of partial caries removal (PCR) restorations in primary teeth. METHODS: The sample of this retrospective study comprised primary teeth that had been treated with PCR by undergraduate students and were selected from the dental records of patients who were receiving treatment at the School of Dentistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul - Brazil (UFRGS), from 2007 to 2012. Records containing clinical and/or radiographic follow-up data of restorations with PCR in primary teeth were included in the analysis. Factors potentially associated with treatment failure were investigated, such as the number of surfaces restored, type of capping material and restorative material used, the presence of visible plaque, and the gingival bleeding index. RESULTS: The sample comprised 254 teeth in 118 subjects; the follow-up period ranged from 1 to 50 months. The overall success rate for PCR was 80.3% (204/254). A significant association was found between high final visible plaque index and PCR failure (P = 0.002).